


Against The Rules

by Heavenly_Pearl



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Manga), Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-26
Updated: 2012-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-15 02:45:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 192,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/522280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavenly_Pearl/pseuds/Heavenly_Pearl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mizuno Ami has always been known as the good girl, but when she embarks on a forbidden romance with her professor, a rival sets out to destroy her spotless reputation. Will their love manage to survive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my editors I Abibde/Samuraiter and Starsea.

Mizuno Ami sat in her usual seat in the front row of class, pencil poised in hand and a notebook opened, her neat and elegant handwriting already having filled nearly three-quarters of the page with notes and formulae. Her chin was cupped in her other hand, and her navy blue eyes stared straight ahead as Professor Kitagawa solved a complex chemical equation on the dry-erase board at the front of the classroom. From the moment class had started, her attention had not wavered once from the lecture, enthralled as always at the prospect of learning something new, something that would push the limits of her intelligence and lead to a greater understanding of the world around her.

Her advanced organic chemistry course was among one of her favorites classes to attend. Ami had always loved chemistry, but Professor Kitagawa somehow managed to make even the more mundane areas of the subject seem exciting -- not that he was an easy teacher. In fact, he was among the more difficult professors who worked in the science department, but most of his students -- especially the girls, who were enrolling in his classes in record numbers -- admired him greatly and worked hard to please him, Ami among them. She attributed such loyalty to the passion he obviously possessed for science, which came through in every lecture he gave.

"Well, I think that's about it for today," Professor Kitagawa announced after he had finished the problem, breaking the spell he had cast over his eager students. He set down his blue marker and began erasing the board as a low groan of disappointment escaped from a few students' mouths as they began getting ready to leave. "Oh, before I formally dismiss you," he said, pausing and turning back around, "I do have one announcement to make. As some of you may be aware, in addition to my duties as a professor, I also spend much of my time in the labs performing research. I am in desperate need of a new lab assistant to help me with my current project. I can't say the pay's great, and it'll mean long hours stuck in a lab, but for anybody who is interested in pharmaceuticals or pursuing a career in medical science, it's a great opportunity for some hands-on experience."

 _Professor Kitagawa's lab assistant?_ Ami had been busy unsuccessfully trying to cram her thick notebook back into her already-overstuffed leather book bag, but the task was forgotten when she heard the announcement. She couldn't believe her ears: the opportunity to work side-by-side with a man she considered her idol on some important medical research?

The pimply-faced boy who sat beside Ami raised his hand. "Sensei?"

"Yes, you have a question?"

"Will this count for extra credit?"

Smiling, the professor laughed good-naturedly. "Nice try, Yuuki-kun. You know I don't believe in extra credit. The only thing 'extra' you will get out of this is the chance to be a part of some possibly groundbreaking research," he answered to another round of groans. Professor Kitagawa was notorious for never giving out extra credit assignments. "Now, are there any other questions about the position or about the test I passed back earlier?"

No other hands were raised, so after informing them that anybody interested in the job should see him after class, Professor Kitagawa announced that they were dismissed. Around her, Ami's classmates gathered their books and headed out the door until only she and the professor, who was sitting behind his desk looking over some papers, were the only ones left in the room. After taking a deep breath to gather her courage, Ami swung her book bag over her shoulder, tucked her notebook in her free arm, and walked determinedly to his desk, hoping she didn't look as nervous as she felt. She normally had no trouble talking to her other professors, but every time she spoke to Professor Kitagawa, she couldn't help but feel like a flustered groupie meeting her favorite pop idol for the very first time.

"Sensei?" she said, lightly clearing her throat to get his attention.

Looking up from his papers, Professor Kitagawa smiled and slipped off his reading glasses. "Ah, Mizuno-san, what can I do for you?" he asked. "If you're here to argue with me about Problem 21 on last week's homework, I'm sorry, but I cannot give you full credit when you failed to show all your work even if you were the only person in the class to give the correct answer."

"N-No, it isn't about that," she stuttered. "I'm interested in the assistant job you spoke about earlier."

"Really? I honestly didn't think anybody would apply after I said I wouldn't give out extra credit," he admitted, standing from his chair. "Do you have any experience working in labs outside of classes?"

Ami nodded. "A little. During school breaks, I work part-time at the lab in the hospital. My mother's a doctor there."

"Following in your mother's footsteps?" he guessed correctly.

"I hope so. She's a wonderful doctor," Ami replied.

"Well, working in a hospital lab is somewhat different than working in a research lab, but the basics are mostly the same. I presume you know all the safety rules and are well-versed in the different types of lab equipment? Do you know standard operating procedures?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you can handle taking down notes and recording results?" he asked. "I'm warning you, when I'm in the lab, I sometimes talk a mile a minute, so it might be tough keeping up with me."

"I'm sure I can handle it," she said with as much confidence as she could muster.

"Good. You're hired."

For a moment, Ami simply stood in shock, her entire body as frozen as an ice sculpture. The news hadn't quite registered in her brain. She was hired? She hadn't expected it to be so easy. Surely there were other applicants, perhaps some graduate students, who were far more qualified for the job than she was.

"J-Just like that?" she finally managed to stammer. "I'm hired just like that? No long interview? No try-out period?"

Professor Kitagawa appeared highly amused by her reaction, his deep, emerald-green eyes twinkling as he let out a soft chuckle. "What better person to assist me in my research than my number one student?" he asked, half-sitting on the edge of his somewhat messy desk. "You're just as qualified as any grad student, maybe even more so. Your grades are fantastic, and you have the kind of experience I was looking for. I know you'll do a wonderful job, Mizuno-san, and I look forward to working with you."

The compliment caused Ami's cheeks to burn a bright pink, which she managed to conceal with a deep bow of gratitude. "Thank you, sensei. I'll do my best," she vowed.

"Come by my office later and I'll get you the proper identification to get into the lab. We'll start tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. I'll be there."

With one final bow, Ami said goodbye and headed out the classroom, her chemistry notebook held tightly against her chest. The huge smile on her face was hard to hide as she walked down the halls of the science building, thinking about what it was going to be like to work with Professor Kitagawa Akira. She couldn't believe her good fortune.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Yui, wait up!"

Hearing her boyfriend's voice as she exited Professor Kitagawa's classroom, Yokoyama Yui glanced up from the test paper at which she had been glaring and forced herself to smile as Matsuno Hideki walked toward her. As much as she loved it when her boyfriend waited for her outside class to walk her to lunch, today was one day when not even his presence could bring her out of the bad mood that had come over her like a storm cloud ever since she had gotten back the test.

"How was class?" he asked, catching up to her.

"Don't even ask," she said with a dramatic sigh.

Hideki rolled his hazel eyes. "Come on, it couldn't have been that bad."

"We got back last week's test."

"How did you do?"

Crumpling the offensive test paper into a ball, Yui tossed it in a trash can as they passed by and made a disgusted face. She couldn't even bare to look at it anymore, the proof of yet another failure. "I made a 97," she mumbled.

"A 97!" Hideki exclaimed. "But that's wonderful, Yui! Congratulations!"

"Wonderful? It's not wonderful at all. I might as well have failed," she replied, throwing up her hands in frustration. "And I studied so hard for that test, too…"

Hideki sighed, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist when he saw they were virtually alone in the hall and pulling her close. "Oh, Yui, you have got to stop being so hard on yourself," he said softly into her hair as he kissed the top of her head. "Most people consider a 97 on a chemistry test to be a good thing. I mean, you did make the highest grade in the class, didn't you?"

"I was second," she admitted, her dull blue eyes narrowing slightly at the memory of seeing another girl's name at the top of the list, the same name that always sat at the top of the list. She was surprised the professors hadn't permanently laminated her name to the top considering the blue-haired girl rarely slipped from her number one position. "That girl genius Mizuno Ami-san received a perfect score, as usual."

"Well, second is still great," Hideki insisted. "There's no shame in that."

"Maybe not for you," she shot back. "You're content with just being in the top ten of your classes."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Hideki, you just don't understand!" Yui said, her voice bordering on the edge of a whine. "I have to be number one. I won't settle for less than perfection like you do."

Abruptly, Hideki stopped, his arm dropping to his side as he turned toward her. There was a hint of anger in his eyes, and for a moment, Yui regretted she had made the comment. "Are you saying I'm not a hard worker, Yui?" he demanded to know. "Maybe I don't spend every second of my free time with my nose in a book, but that doesn't mean I'm some sort of slacker. I take my studies very seriously."

"I didn't mean it like that, Hideki," she protested, hugging her book and spiral notebook against her mostly flat chest. "I know you're a good student. It's just that…"

"What?"

Yui's eyes dropped to study the linoleum covering the hall's floors, embarrassed. Logically, a part of her knew she was being ridiculous for feeling the way she felt. She and Hideki had been dating since the end of their freshman year at Tokyo University, and she was reasonably sure he felt the same way about her as she felt about him though neither of them had yet to say the words. They had gone through a lot together, and yet…

"Why do you settle for someone like me?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You've officially lost me, Yui," he declared. "How did this conversation turn from grades to us? What are you talking about?"

Reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, Yui lifted up her chin. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Hideki," she said. "You're a smart, kind, good-looking guy. Any girl on this campus would kill to go out with you, and yet, you chose me -- plain, boring, unglamorous me. Why?"

That was the question that had plagued Yui ever since that fateful White Day when Matsuno Hideki had reciprocated the gift of chocolate she had left on his desk on Valentine's Day in a moment of temporary insanity and asked if she wanted to meet him at the library to study for finals.

Why?

Yui wasn't fooling herself; she knew she was hardly any guy's idea of the perfect girlfriend. She was short and slightly pudgy (or so she thought, though in reality she was only a few pounds over the ideal weight for her body type), with practically non-existent breasts and a nose that was too long and a tad crooked thanks to a middle school accident involving a volleyball and a vengeful star player, who had been angry when she had refused to do the girl's math homework. The only feature of hers Yui did consider beautiful was her mane of luxurious titian hair which Hideki often compared to liquid fire, reflecting both red and gold depending on how the light hit it, but she was often too preoccupied with her school work to do much with it other than pulling it back in a braid or a low ponytail at the nape of her neck, which was how she had styled it that morning.

"Why?" Hideki repeated after a long moment of silence, reaching for her hand. "Because I think you're a beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman who can be a lot of fun to be with when she isn't obsessing over her grade point average."

"Don't say things just because you think that is what I want to hear," Yui said, yanking her hand away from his. "You don't have to spare my feelings. I know I'm not exactly a beauty queen."

"Did I ever say I wanted a beauty queen?"

"No, but--"

"Then stop unfairly comparing yourself with other women," he said. "I like you just the way you are, Yui."

Despite his claim, Yui still couldn't let it go, the little voice in her head continuing to say he was only patronizing her. "But you deserve so much better than me, Hideki," she said. "Maybe I can't change my looks, but I can strive to be number one in the class. If only Mizuno-san wasn't in my way…"

"Listen to me, Yui," Hideki ordered, surprising Yui when she felt his hands grasp her shoulders, preventing her from turning away. She had no choice but to look at him and listen to what he had to say. "I couldn't care less about your class rank. If you came in dead last, it wouldn't matter to me in the least. I would still like you just the same as always, so please stop doing this to yourself."

"Really?" she asked doubtfully as he let her go, though feeling somewhat better.

"Really," he replied, smiling as they headed out the front door. "Now, how about I treat you to an ice cream sundae before your next class?" he suggested. "There's a banana split waiting with your name on it."

Though tempting, Yui shook her head, cursing her bad luck. "I can't. I'm on a diet."

He sighed. "Another one?"

"I read about this one in one of the leading medical journals," Yui explained, preparing herself for the usual lecture Hideki always found the need to give every time she announced she was going on a new diet. "It's supposed to be really effective. I've already lost two pounds since I started last week."

Sure enough, Hideki looked up at the clear blue sky and shook his head in disapproval. "Yui, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to lose weight?" he wondered aloud. "Your weight is fine. It's well within the normal range, and continually going on all these fad diets can't be healthy."

"I know what I'm doing. I _am_ pre-med, in case you've forgotten," she huffed, offended. How stupid did he think she was? Yui was well aware of what did and did not constitute a healthy diet. "I'm not going to put my health in jeopardy."

"I just worry about you sometimes, that's all."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Seeing that they were passing the library, Yui swung a right and started up the stairs. "Anyway, I need to go check out some books for my psychology class, so I guess I'll see you later," she said.

"Okay. We're still on for the study date at my place tonight, right?"

Yui smiled, perking up for the first time since class had ended. "Of course," she replied. "If I'm going to beat Mizuno-san on next week's quiz, I'm going to have to study twice as hard."

"Right…study." The thought didn't exactly inspire the same excitement in Hideki, who had obviously had different plans in mind for the evening, but he still smiled and waved. "I'll see you then. Bye!"

"Bye!!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breathless as she entered the Crown Fruit Parlor, still a favorite hangout for her and her friends even after so many years, later that afternoon, Ami slid into the booth beside her roommate Kino Makoto and apologized for her lateness. Her meeting with Professor Kitagawa after her final class of the day had taken longer than she had expected as he gave her the grand tour of the research center while waiting for her I.D. to be made, and if she hadn't remembered the routine monthly meeting of the Sailor Senshi -- really, more of a gossip session than anything else, seeing as there hadn't been a new enemy since Galaxia and the Anima-mates -- chances were, she probably would have still been there, hanging onto the professor's every word.

"So, where were you, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked, scooting over to give her more room. "We were starting to worry. It isn't like you to be the last one to arrive."

"Oh, I had a late meeting with one of my professors," she explained, unable to hide a small smile. "I'm going to be his new lab assistant starting tomorrow, so he was showing me around the research complex, and I guess we lost all track of time."

"A lab assistant?" Across from Ami, a pretty blonde who wore her long hair pulled back in a red bow perked up at the announcement, eyes twinkling with what could only be described as mischief as her lips gave a wicked smile. "Tell us, is this professor cute, Ami-chan?" Aino Minako asked, leaning across the table.

Beside Minako, her best friend rolled her amethyst eyes. "Minako-chan, honestly, is that all you can think about? You haven't changed a bit since middle school," Hino Rei groused, her usual anti-love self.

"Neither have you, man-hater," Minako retorted back, sticking out her tongue at Rei.

Makoto sighed, shaking her head. "Girls, can we please try to act like adults here?" she scolded lightly. "Besides, if Ami-chan's teacher is anything like the ones I have for my business classes, he's probably a fat, balding old geezer, isn't that right, Ami-chan?"

Picturing Professor Kitagawa Akira in her mind, Ami felt her cheeks start to burn. Though she of course admired him greatly for his intelligence, the chemistry professor's handsome looks hadn't completely escaped her attention. A girl would have to be blind not to notice.

"Well, actually, Kitagawa-sensei is rather good-looking, and young, too," she answered. "He's only twenty-eight."

Rei arched an eyebrow in Ami's direction, surprised. "Only twenty-eight? That is young."

"He's the youngest professor at Toudai, but absolutely brilliant. It's rumored he skipped high school altogether and went straight to college, earning several advanced degrees in chemistry and biology, including a doctorate."

"You certainly seem to know a lot about this Kitagawa-sensei, Ami-chan," Minako said, again getting that familiar twinkle in her eye. "Do I sense somebody has a schoolgirl crush?"

Her blush deepened as Ami vehemently shook her head. Trust Minako to blow an innocent case of admiration completely out of proportion. "Please, Minako-chan! It's nothing like that at all," she insisted. "I just really admire him, that's all."

"Sure…"

"Can we please talk about something else now?" Desperate for a change in subject, Ami glanced over at their princess, who was sitting on the other side of Makoto. For the first time since she had arrived, she noticed Tsukino Usagi had yet to say a word, her face practically hidden behind a study guide Ami remembered giving her as a birthday present a couple of years ago. "Usagi-chan, how's the studying going?" she asked, more than a little pleased that her friend was finally taking her studies seriously, even though Usagi was currently a ronin, meaning she had failed her university entrance exam -- twice.

Looking up at the question, the odango-haired blonde sighed and closed her book, sliding it away so she could lightly bang her forehead against the table's surface. "Terrible, absolutely terrible," Usagi replied morosely. "None of this is sinking in, even with Mamo-chan's help. I'm never going to pass Keiou University's entrance exam."

"I don't see why you can't try for an easier school, Usagi-chan," Makoto suggested. "Juuban College's exam isn't all that much harder than the one we took to get into high school. I'm sure you'd be able to pass it with no problems." Makoto was a part-time student at the college, taking some business classes in addition to her apprenticeship at a well-known, four-star restaurant.

"But I had my heart set on attending Keiou University with Mamo-chan…" Usagi whimpered, resting her chin on her folded arms.

"Face it, Usagi-chan, by the time you manage to pass that exam, Mamoru-san will have already graduated from medical school," Rei replied.

"Rei-chan, that isn't very nice," Ami lightly scolded, even though a small part of her agreed with the priestess-in-training's assessment of Usagi's situation. Usagi was far from stupid, but Keiou was one of the most academically challenging schools in the country. "I'm sure if Usagi-chan continues studying as hard as she has been these last few months, she'll pass."

"And don't forget 'Third time's a freebie!'" Minako added cheerfully.

All present groaned at yet another mangling by the 'Queen of Misquotes.' "That's 'third time's a charm,' Minako-chan," Rei corrected the blonde with a shake of her head.

"In any case," Usagi sighed loudly, bringing everyone's attention back to her, "maybe Rei-chan's right." Reaching for her book, she began flipping through the pages, a frown on her face. "Maybe I should admit defeat. Why do I need to go to college anyway? We already know that by the time I'm twenty-two, I'll be married to Mamo-chan, give birth to Chibi-Usa, and become the beautiful and all-powerful queen of Earth."

"That is, according to the old future we saw when we traveled to Crystal Tokyo…"

Ami didn't even realize she had voiced the thought aloud until she felt four pairs of eyes turning to stare at her, blinking in freakish unison. "What's that supposed to mean, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked, causing Ami to look down at her lap in embarrassment.

Ami actually found herself thinking quite a bit about the future as of late. Based on what the future King Endymion had told them, Crystal Tokyo's formation was only a couple of years away, yet they had seen nothing to suggest anything like that was about to happen. No new enemies, no battles… Even Luna and Artemis had stopped attending the monthly meetings after their high school graduation, finding that there was little to discuss related to senshi business. It was becoming very easy for the five girls to forget they had ever even fought as soldiers of love and justice, everyone enjoying the peace that had allowed them the chance to pursue the dreams they had put on hold to fight. It made Ami wonder if perhaps the future they had visited when they fought the Black Moon had changed because of what had happened and Chibi-Usa's subsequent trips back to the present time.

"I-It's just a theory I have," Ami said softly, finally looking back up to see her friends were still staring at her in expectation. "I've been thinking about how our knowledge of the future and the time-traveling we did might have affected the timeline. The future we saw might not necessarily be the one that we live."

Usagi visibly paled when she heard that. "You mean Crystal Tokyo might not exist anymore?" she asked, her crystal blue eyes widening significantly. "That Mamo-chan and I might not marry and have Chibi-Usa?"

Makoto shook her head. "That can't be right, Usagi-chan," she argued. "If our visiting the future had changed any of that, Chibi-Usa-chan wouldn't have been able to travel to our time after the battle, right?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that other things couldn't have changed," Ami replied, pausing for a moment as she tried to figure out how to properly explain her theory in understandable terms. "We have no way of knowing if the future Chibi-Usa-chan returned to was the original future from which she came or a new one created with our knowledge of what was to come. That means we can't depend on anything based on what we saw during our time in the future. Why do you think I'm still studying to become a doctor when according to what King Endymion-sama said, Crystal Tokyo is formed before I have the chance to go to medical school? We don't know what is going to happen or what has changed, so I'm doing exactly what Setsuna-san told us to do: Live in the present, not in the future."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Rei admitted once Ami had finished her explanation. "Some things, like the formation of Crystal Tokyo, might be fate, but that doesn't mean that we can't change some of the other things. The future isn't completely set in stone. We still have some free will in our lives."

"It doesn't make sense to me," Minako frowned. The blonde had propped one of her elbows on the table, resting her chin in the cup of her hand. "Are you saying I dropped out of college and nearly gave okaa-san a heart attack for nothing?" she asked. "I mean, the main reason why I left was to pursue a career in show business before it was too late."

"It's really only a theory," Ami reminded them, wishing she hadn't said anything at all. Usagi still hadn't recovered from the shock of learning that the future she had took as fact might not happen, and Minako wasn't taking the news much better, probably regretting causing such a rift between her and her parents when she had decided to drop out of school to follow her dream of becoming an idol. They had only recently got back on civil speaking terms after several months of bitter arguments. "Setsuna-san probably knows more about it than I do, but I doubt she's allowed to tell us."

"Well, I, for one, wouldn't be too upset if Crystal Tokyo happened a little later than we expected," Makoto declared. "It would be nice to have some more time to ourselves to finish pursuing our dreams, maybe find a boyfriend…"

"Yeah, it would," Minako sighed, her frown suddenly reverting back into a soft smile just as the waitress walked over to take their order. "You're right; it might not be such a bad thing after all."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arriving home at his apartment later that evening, Professor Kitagawa Akira was greeted by the sight of his beloved Corgi, Mercury, sitting patiently at the door, his tail wagging and a blue leash dangling from his mouth. It was time for his evening walk, and judging by the dog's eagerness, Akira hadn't arrived a moment too soon.

"Okay, boy, we'll go out in a minute," Akira said, affectionately petting the top of Mercury's head. In the background, he heard the telephone ringing. "Just let me answer that and change."

Heading to his bedroom, Akira grabbed the wireless receiver along the way and brought it to his ear, cradling it on his shoulder. "Hello?" he answered, reaching up to loosen the knot in his tie. Hopefully, the call wouldn't take long. He didn't know how much longer Mercury's bladder could hold. "Kitagawa speaking."

"Where have you been, young man?" a familiar woman's voice demanded, forgoing the usual pleasantries. "I tried calling you last night for our weekly chat, but you never answered."

Akira sighed. He should have known it would be her.

"Hello, Mama."

"Don't 'Hello, Mama,' me. You had me worried sick. Where were you last night?"

"I had a late night at the lab, and when I finally got home, I figured it would be too late to call," he explained. "I did plan to call you later tonight, though."

On the other end of the line, Akira heard what he could only assume were tsking sounds of disappointment. "You know, most young men your age would have spent Sunday night with their girlfriends, not holed up alone in some laboratory," Kitagawa Izumi pointed out none too subtly. His mother's sole mission in life lately seemed to be finding her oldest son a wife. "When was the last time you went on a date?"

"I've been busy lately," he replied, tossing his tie aside and taking a seat on his bed. He had a feeling it would be a long phone call.

"That doesn't answer my question, Akira."

"Okay, fine." Sighing, Akira rubbed his forehead, trying to think back to his last date. It really hadn't been that long ago, but the date had been nothing memorable. He hadn't spoken to the girl since then. "Lessee… The last girl I went out with was Sato-san, and I believe that was about a month ago?" he guessed.

"And why haven't you two gone out again?" his mother demanded to know.

"She really wasn't my type, Mama."

"None of the girls have been your type since you broke things off with Maeko-chan."

Akira frowned at the mention of his ex-girlfriend's name. He and Maeko had dated for almost two years and had even seriously discussed getting married, much to his mother's joy, but they had called things off last year, both realizing that a marriage between them would have been destined to fail. They were just too different -- Maeko, the aspiring fantasy writer with dreams of fame and stardom, and he, the more level-headed scientist with equally ambitious goals.

"Mama, please don't tell me yet again what a mistake you think it was to break up with Maeko," he said, unbuttoning the first few buttons on his shirt. "I don't want to hear it. I know how much you wanted us to get married, but we both wanted different things out of life."

"You make me sound so selfish, Akira. I only have your future happiness in mind."

Akira rolled his eyes. "No, Mama, what you have is a severe case of grandbabies on the brain."

"Is it wrong for a mother to want her eldest son to settle down and finally start a family? You're not getting any younger."

"I'm only twenty-eight," he reminded her, chuckling. "That's hardly ancient."

"Well, then, your father and I aren't getting any younger," she amended. "Papa is turning sixty in a couple of months, you know. Don't be like him and wait until your thirties to get married. We want to enjoy our grandchildren."

"It will happen when it happens, Mama," Akira declared, deciding to change the subject. "So, how is everybody else? Did Junko's appointment go well?"

"The doctor said she was doing great."

"I'm glad," he replied, relieved. "And Satoshi and Papa?"

"They're fine. You know, Satoshi has a new girlfriend," she announced somewhat smugly.

"You're kidding!" Akira was surprised, but happy for his younger brother. Satoshi, a law student at Kyoto University, was known as the quiet one in the family, a serious young man who was seldom seen without a book in his hand, but though he was good-looking, he never seemed to have much luck with the fairer sex. "The nerd finally found himself a girl?"

"Akira, don't call your brother a nerd!"

Akira laughed, not taking her chastisement very seriously. Ever since they were little, it was the brothers' private joke that Satoshi was the "nerd," Akira was the "geek," and Junko was the "airhead" -- though they wisely never informed their little sister of that fact. "Aw, Mama, it's a term of endearment," he explained. "Satoshi knows I only call him that with the utmost of affection. Anyway, I think it is great that he's found somebody."

"If you aren't careful, he might get married before you," she warned.

"Mama…"

"I'm only saying…"

As Akira prepared himself for yet another lecture on the importance of marriage, the door to the bedroom, which he had forgotten to close all the way, opened wider. Mercury came inside, whimpering pitifully, and Akira slapped himself on the forehead. He had completely forgotten about walking the poor dog.

Covering the mouthpiece, he whispered, "In a minute, Merc," then interrupted his mother's ramblings. "Sorry, Mama, I need to go," Akira apologized, grateful for the excuse to get away. "Mercury's about to piss all over my carpet if I don't take him out for a walk."

"Language, Akira!"

He again ignored the reprimand, standing back up. "Bye, Mama. I'll talk to you next Sunday," he promised.

"Aki--"

Pushing the "Off" button, Akira tossed the receiver on the bed and quickly finished changing into a more casual T-shirt. He considered changing into some jeans as well, but decided it was more important to take Mercury out to do his business. Kneeling down beside the dog, Akira attached the leash to his collar, feeling bad for making Mercury wait so long, and made a mental note to give him a doggie treat when they came back.

"Sorry about that, Mercury," he apologized with a heavy sigh. "You know how Mama can be. Come on, let's go."

After checking to make sure he had his keys in his pocket, Akira was practically hauled out of the apartment by the anxious dog and led toward the elevator. He pushed the down button, and a few seconds later, the doors slid open. Inside the elevator, the only passenger, a titian-haired girl, glanced up from her book in surprise as she started to get off on the floor.

"Sensei?"

The girl looked familiar, though Akira couldn't quite match a name to her face. With so many students, it was not an uncommon predicament. However, Akira was fairly certain she took his advanced organic chemistry class, and a quick glance at the name written across the notebook sticking out of her overstuffed book bag confirmed his hunch.

"Oh, Yokoyama-san, how nice to see you again," Akira said, smiling at his number two student as he held the elevator doors open for her. Though he didn't know her face due to her quiet nature in class, her name certainly had stuck with him. Yokoyama Yui was among the brightest students, male or female, he had ever taught in his admittedly short career as a teacher. "Good evening."

The girl bowed politely in greeting. "Good evening, sensei."

"Congratulations on last week's test. You did remarkably well."

"Thank you, but I shouldn't have made that silly mistake on the third question," she replied as she got off the elevator. "I can't believe I identified 2-methylproponal as a keytone when I knew it was an aldehyde."

"It's an easy mistake to make," he assured her. "You shouldn't beat yourself up over it. You still did well. So, are you here to meet somebody?"

"My boyfriend. We have a study date," she answered, patting her bag. "He's in apartment 520."

"Matsuno-san?" he guessed. The young computer science major who lived next door to his apartment often walked Mercury when he was running late for extra cash.

A light pink blush crossed her cheeks, giving the rather ordinary-looking girl an attractive glow. "Y-Yes."

"Nice kid. You two try not to study too hard, okay? As they say, all work and no play --"

"We won't," she interrupted before he could finish. Akira might have thought her rude had she not then bowed apologetically. "I really should be going now," she explained. "Hideki is expecting me, and I shouldn't keep him waiting. I'll see you in class, sensei. Goodbye."

"Bye, Yokoyama-san. It was nice talking to you."

Once she had disappeared around the corner, Akira and Mercury boarded the elevator and went downstairs. They headed outside, where a brisk autumn breeze greeted them when Akira opened the door, and he smiled as Mercury lead him to "his" tree, thinking how beautiful the sunset looked that evening, "like a fire in the heavens" as Maeko had once written in one of her stories.

_Maeko…_

Coming to a stop to let Mercury do his business, Akira sighed deeply, running a hand through his dark hair. Why did his mother have to mention his former fiancée? She had been right though; ever since he and Maeko broke up, none of the girls he dated seemed to hold his interest for long. He didn't understand why.

It wasn't as if he was still in love with Maeko. Actually, looking back, Akira sometimes wondered if he ever did love her. He had held a great deal of affection toward her, yes, but love? He never even told her, "I love you." And they certainly didn't have much in common, though the passionate debates they frequently engaged in made for great foreplay. Privately, he grinned, remembering the feel of her velvet skin against his and the power of her kisses, soft, yet forceful…

"Okay, enough of that," he said aloud, shaking his head to get rid of the more-than-arousing image forming in his mind.

It had been way too long.

By that time, Mercury had finished marking his territory on the sakura tree and was running around happily, trying to get his master's attention. Akira didn't feel like going back inside, though, so they continued on their walk down the block, his thoughts once again turning back to his ex-fiancée.

No, he and Maeko were never meant to be. Akira supposed he realized it even before he proposed, though he had brushed the thought aside, assuming it was only the second-guessing that came with most life-changing decisions. He had confused passion with love, and it came almost as a relief when Maeko confessed she felt the same as he did during one of their frequent arguments over wedding details -- what the detail was, he no longer remembered. What he did remember, though, was the two of them mutually agreeing it would be best to break off the engagement and Maeko giving him one final kiss goodbye before giving him back the ring. It had been an almost anti-climatic ending for a couple whose relationship had thrived on debates and disagreements. No big fight, no big tears, only acceptance that they simply were too different to be husband and wife.

Almost a year had passed since that fateful day, Akira realized with a slight frown, and yet, for some reason, he was still alone. The last he heard, Maeko had moved in with some up-and-coming artist who specialized in painting Japanese watercolors and was working on her first novel. She had obviously moved on with her life, so why couldn't he?

Despite how much he loved to play the exasperated son whenever his mother harped on him about finding a wife, Akira really did want to marry and start a family someday. Mercury was a great companion, but a dog was a poor substitute for a warm body laying next to him in bed or a beautiful smile greeting him when he came home after a long day at the lab. It was those things he missed most of all since Maeko left.

Silently, Akira laughed at himself. Who would have thought that underneath his love of science and logic, he actually was a romantic after all?

"Come on, Mercury, let's head back," he said, realizing they had reached the end of the block.

Akira had done enough moping about his lack of a love life for one night.

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Meanwhile, Yui arrived at Hideki's off-campus apartment for their study date. He had been looking forward to it for most of the day, but Yui still seemed a little upset about her test grade when she arrived, barely saying more than a quick "hello" before plopping down on the floor and dumping the contents of her extra large book bag onto the coffee table he had cleared off earlier to serve as a study area. Hideki knew better than to try to talk to his girlfriend when she was in what he jokingly referred to as her "Schoolzilla" mode, so digging his laptop out from underneath the mountain of textbooks, spirals, and color-coded note cards on the table, he settled himself on the couch and got to work on the new program he was learning for class.

Soon, the only sounds that could be heard were the tapping of his typing on the keyboard and the scratching of Yui's pencil against paper as she worked on her math problems, accompanied by the occasional groan of frustration. For the most part, Hideki was able to ignore it, but by the tenth muttering of "Dammit," he glanced up from the computer screen and frowned as he stared at the back of his girlfriend's head.

 _Poor Yui_ , he thought, sighing. She always put way too much pressure on herself. Initially, her determination was one of the first things that had attracted him to her, but the more he had gotten to know her, Hideki began to realize that it was both a virtue and a vice. He thought it was wonderful that she had such a strong work ethic, however, there were times when she let herself become too involved in her studies, to the point where nothing else mattered, including him. He could see it happening again and wished there was something he could to stop it.

"Gah!" Yui suddenly exclaimed, startling him from his thoughts. She tore the piece of paper she had been working on out of her notebook, rolled it into a tiny ball, and threw it angrily at the trash can, missing entirely. "Honestly, I think Azuma-sensei intentionally gives us these impossible-to-solve problems to drive all his students insane!"

"Yui, calm down," Hideki said. "Getting all worked up is not going to help you solve that problem any faster."

"Calm down!" By the fiery look in her eyes as she whipped her head around, one would have thought he had told her that she really did look fat in that outfit or something equally stupid. "Do you realize Mizuno-san probably got the answer to this problem hours ago?" she asked. Turning back around before he could give her an answer, Yui rested her head on the table and sighed loudly. "I'm such an idiot… Why did I ever think taking this class was a good idea?"

"You are most definitely not an idiot." Setting aside his laptop, Hideki slid over to the other side of the couch so he was sitting right behind his girlfriend and rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. "Come on, Yui, stop being so down on yourself," he said. "You're one of the smartest people I know, and one of these days, you are going to be one of the most sought after plastic surgeons in all of Tokyo -- no, Japan."

"I have no interest in being only 'one' of the best, Hideki. I want to be the best, but as long as that girl genius is around, that's never going to happen."

It always came down to Mizuno Ami, didn't it? Hideki had heard the girl's name so much over the last year, he almost felt as if he was dating her as well, though he only knew the so-called "girl genius" by reputation.

"You know, I really wish you would get over this obsession you have about beating Mizuno-san," he confessed, pulling her up from the table so he could massage her shoulders. They were definitely on the tense side. "It's not healthy."

"I'm not obsessed," Yui insisted, causing Hideki to give her a disbelieving look. "Okay, so maybe I'm somewhat fixated on taking Mizuno-san's place at the top of the class," she admitted, "but how can that be a bad thing? I'm only working hard to achieve my goals. Most people would consider that admirable."

"But at what cost? Getting good grades is important, but it shouldn't be the most important thing in your life."

"You just don't get it, Hideki." Sighing, Yui shrugged his hands off her shoulders and started to reach for the notebook laying on the coffee table. However, Hideki, sensing what she was about to do, was faster and managed to grab it just as her fingertips brushed the cover. "Hey, give that back!" she demanded as he held her notebook high above her head. "I've got to finish that problem."

"It'll still be there in an hour." Hideki said, tossing the notebook halfway across the room. It gave a resounding thud as it landed in front of the entertainment center. "Right now, we are taking a study break. You need it."

"But my work…"

Yui, determined to return to her studying, fell to her hands and knees and started crawling toward the notebook, but Hideki was having none of that. She was going to take a break from studying, even if he had to handcuff her hands behind her back, which, now that he thought about it, might not be such a horrible idea. Sliding off the couch, he managed to grab her by the waist and roll her over on her back, pinning her wiggling body underneath him.

"Let me go, Hideki!" she shrieked, her annoyance soon dissolving into laughter that made her threats seem little more than a mild buzzing. "I mean it! I really need to study."

"Not until you pay the fee."

"And what would that be?" she asked. By that time, Yui had stopped trying to wiggle free, her face flushed as she stared up at him with her large, pale blue eyes.

"One hour," he answered.

"One hour of what?"

"This."

Lowering himself, Hideki brushed his lips against hers, a teasing kiss that made Yui moan with longing. Pleased with the reaction, he then moved lower, trailing wet butterfly kisses along her jaw line as he made his way to her neck. The faint scent of her perfume -- vanilla scented -- filled his nostrils, and Yui craned her neck to give him better access.

"Oh, I suppose a short break wouldn't hurt…" Yui murmured, unresisting as his fingers found the buttons to her white button-down shirt.

Smiling. Hideki gathered the titian-haired girl in his arms and carried her to his bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

The next afternoon, Ami headed up the stairs leading to the Institute of Medical Science, glancing down at her watch to check the time. She had purposely left the off-campus penthouse she shared with Makoto early so she wouldn't be late for her first day as Professor Kitagawa's assistant, and she was pleased to see that she still had a good ten minutes to spare before the five o'clock meeting time they had agreed on the day before. When she reached the entrance of the building, Ami dug her laminated I.D. card out of her purse and entered, flashing the card to the man on duty at the front desk before taking the elevator up to her teacher's lab.

 _I can't believe I'm actually going to work with Kitagawa-sensei,_ she thought for the hundredth time since he had hired her as she watched the numbers above the elevator doors glow a soft red as it went up each floor. It finally stopped when it reached the third floor, and, after adjusting her purse strap and smoothing out a few non-existent wrinkles in her knee-length black skirt, Ami exited and headed to lab 3C.

The door to the lab was closed, but, looking through the small window, she noticed the lights were on, meaning the professor was probably already inside. Yesterday, he had said to come right in when she arrived, so, again getting out her I.D. card, which also served as a keycard, Ami slid it through the slit of the lock and quietly entered the room, which turned out to be an office/storeroom. As she had suspected, Professor Kitagawa was already there, typing something up on the computer that sat on top of the desk in the corner of the room.

"Kitagawa-sensei?"

Hearing her voice, the professor looked up from the computer, wearing a welcoming smile. "Ah, Mizuno-san, you're early," he remarked. "I like that in an assistant. Welcome."

Ami bowed deeply. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, sensei," she said. "I will do my best not to disappoint you."

"I doubt that will be a problem."

Ami relaxed somewhat, hearing that, and set her purse down on a nearby counter, only then realizing how tight she had been gripping the strap. She must have been more nervous than she thought. "Um…is there anything you need me to do?" she asked, unsure of what she was supposed to be doing.

"Go ahead and wash your hands," the professor suggested, resuming his typing. "You'll find extra lab coats in that closet over there. I'll be with you in a few minutes. Forgive me, I just need to finish this up before we begin."

"Okay."

Following his instructions, Ami scrubbed her hands clean with the soap she found by one of the sinks, then went to the closet and pulled out a crisp, clean lab coat. As always, she felt a small shiver of excitement as she put the coat on over her clothes, anxious to get to work.

"So, what kind of research will we be performing?" Ami asked once Professor Kitagawa had finished whatever he had been typing up and walked over to the sink to wash his own hands. He was already wearing his lab coat. "I left yesterday before you could get into specifics."

"Well, there are actually several projects I'm working on at the moment, and you will have a chance to assist me on all of them," he explained, "but my focus is mainly on the development of an insulin pill for people suffering from diabetes. As I am sure you are well aware, there are certain acids in the stomach that have made the development of such a pill impossible in the past. The acid eats the insulin away before it has time to go through the body. That is why injections are used instead, as a way to directly get the insulin into the bloodstream and bypass the stomach, but I'm hoping that one day that won't be necessary anymore. I've been working on this project for a couple of years, and though I haven't had much success yet, with every failure, I feel I'm that much closer to reaching my goal."

"An insulin pill?" Ami repeated, surprised. She had to admit that when he first made the announcement to the class about looking for a lab assistant, she had been under the impression that he was working on a possible cure for cancer or a new treatment for HIV/AIDS. It somewhat disappointed her to learn they would be working on something so ordinary, even though she knew that the development of such a pill would be a godsend to millions of diabetes sufferers.

"You were expecting something more exciting perhaps?" he guessed correctly, smirking when she started to blush.

"An insulin pill is a very worthy cause," Ami said, flustered that he seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. "Is there a reason why you are so interested in diabetes?"

"Yeah."

Professor Kitagawa's voice went unexpectedly soft as he said the word, almost a whisper. It caught Ami off-guard, and she glanced over at her teacher, surprised to see that he was no longer drying his hands with the paper towel he had torn from a nearby roll, instead staring blankly off into space. She realized then that she must have said something wrong and regretted asking such a question.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, "I shouldn't have pried. I was being rude, wasn't I?"

Shaking his head, the professor gave her a small half-smile. "No, not at all, Ami-chan," he replied, tossing the paper towel into the trash can by his desk "May I call you that? I always feel strange being so formal with my students when I am only a few years older than you."

"S-Sure!"

"Anyway, you were asking why I'm researching diabetes?" he asked. Ami nodded as he let out a sigh and ran and hand through his thick mane of ink-black hair. "The truth is that this is a rather personal crusade for me. You see, about ten years ago, my little sister was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, more commonly known as juvenile diabetes."

"Oh, I didn't know --"

"No, I didn't expect you to," he said. "After Junko was diagnosed, I decided to shift my focus away from chemical engineering to becoming a medical scientist. I promised her I would devote my life to studying diabetes and developing drugs that would hopefully help make her life easier."

Not knowing what to say, Ami remained silent, even more in awe of her teacher than before. For the first time, she saw him as more than simply her genius chemistry professor. His concern for his sister proved he also had a heart that was at least as big as his brain, and it only made her admiration for him grow even deeper, if that was possible.

"I think that's really noble of you," she finally declared softly. "Junko-san is lucky to have a big brother like you, sensei."

"You think so?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, very much so," she said, giving him a smile before she glanced away, embarrassed. Her eyes then landed on a framed photograph sitting on his desk. She immediately recognized one of the people in the photograph as Professor Kitagawa, but his two companions -- another younger man who bore a remarkable resemblance to the professor and a teenage girl -- were unfamiliar to her. Picking it up for a closer look, Ami pointed to the beaming blonde in the middle and asked, "Is that Junko-san?"

The professor came up behind Ami, smiling as he too looked at the happy photograph. "Yes, that's Junko, my younger brother Satoshi, and me on Junko's seventeenth birthday."

"She's very pretty," Ami remarked. "You would never guess she has such a horrible disease."

"No, you wouldn't. Junko always has a smile on her face." Pausing, he frowned. "You know, she has a boyfriend now…"

The remark was so unexpected and out of the blue, Ami couldn't help but giggle, immediately slapping a hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Somehow, it didn't seem appropriate to laugh at her teacher, but much to her surprise, Professor Kitagawa began chuckling as well, running a hand through his hair in what she was starting to recognize as a frequent tendency.

"I suppose I am a little overprotective of her," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "It drives her crazy, but, hey, what are big brothers for if not for scaring off the riffraff?"

"I wouldn't know, actually," Ami replied, setting the picture back down in its proper place. "I'm an only child."

"Well, believe me, protecting our younger sisters from the evils of boyfriends is part of the time-honored Big Brother oath, along with teasing them relentlessly and bossing them around," he said, pulling out a notebook from his desk drawer as Ami let out another giggle. "But enough chit-chat for now. Shall we get to work, Ami-chan?"

"Yes, sir!"

Nodding, Ami took the notebook he offered and followed the professor through another door, which led to the laboratory proper. Already, several experiments had been set up, and her eyes widened as she took in everything around her. It was by far the most advanced lab she had ever seen, completely equipped with state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technology, most of which looked as if it came straight from a high-budget American science-fiction movie.

"Amazing…" she breathed. "This is your lab, sensei?"

"Technically, it's the school's lab, but they have been more than generous in providing funds for my research," he replied, grabbing a couple of pairs of safety goggles from a cabinet. He put one pair on and handed the other to Ami. "Here, you might need these."

Sliding the goggles on, Ami followed the professor as he headed toward one of the workstations that he had set up. He had already written out a rough procedure for the experiment they were working on that day on the first page of the notebook, so after checking the required glassware for any star cracks, Ami immediately began piecing together a flask and an adaptor to prepare for a distillation.

"You know what, Ami-san?" he asked a couple of minutes later.

Without losing her concentration, Ami briefly glanced over at her professor, who stood casually by, his hands behind his back as he watched her. "Yes, sensei?"

"I think you're off to a fantastic start."

She blushed and got back to work.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Ami left a couple of hours later, their work for the day completed, Akira decided to stay behind at the lab, going over the new data she had compiled that evening. He truly was amazed by how much they had managed to accomplish in such a short time thanks to his new assistant's speedy hand and efficiency. Akira had expected it would take Ami at least a week or two to become accustomed to her new workplace, but if he didn't know better, he would have thought she had spent her entire life in the laboratory.

Akira concluded he had made the right decision after all in hiring Mizuno Ami. He admitted he had his doubts at first, considering that she was only second-year pre-med, but, if today was any indication of her abilities, Akira expected Ami to become even more efficient as she continued to learn more about how he ran the lab and what he expected.

His concentration was interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door to the lab's office.

Akira frowned as he set the notebook aside and went to answer the door. "Ami-chan, did you leave something behi--" Akira started, his sentence cut short when he opened the door. Instead of his blue-haired assistant, as he had expected. his visitor was an older man, around seventy, wearing glasses and an impeccably white lab coat over his suit. The name on the official I.D. card attached to his breast pocket read "Dr. Nakajima Ryu." "Oh, Nakajima-sensei, sorry," he said, ushering the man inside. "Come in. I thought you were somebody else."

Professor Nakajima, a former teacher of Akira's and a world-renowned genetic engineer, grinned as he stepped inside the office. "A new girlfriend, I presume?"

"No, just a new assistant," Akira answered, closing the door.

"Ah, yes, I heard about the trouble you had with your previous one." Shaking his head, the older professor took a seat on the stool Akira offered. "Such a pity."

"It was his own stupid fault. You'd think somebody as intelligent as Watanabe Jiro-kun would know better than to steal drugs from this lab," Akira said, sighing. It was still hard to believe the bright young graduate student, his trusted assistant for almost a year, had turned out to be a druggie. It just went to show that that people were not always what they seemed. "Thank goodness we caught him before he was able to deal to anyone, though. Some of those drugs were only in the experimental stages. If anyone had taken them… Well, I don't even want to think about what might have happened."

"Yes, it was quite fortunate," Dr. Nakajima agreed. "But enough about Watanabe-kun. Tell me about this new assistant of yours. Ami-san, right? How is she working out so far?"

Smiling, Akira gathered up a stack of results. "Ami-chan's great," he said. "Today was only her first day, but already she's managed to do nearly twice the amount of work as Jiro-kun on a good day." He flipped through the notebook, still marveling at how much they had gotten done. "I really think I made a good decision hiring her. Ami-chan may only be a second year pre-med student, but she certainly knows her way around a laboratory."

"Ami-san…" Dr. Nakajima frowned and rubbed the graying whiskers on his chin, his brow furrowed as if trying to place the name. "You wouldn't by chance be talking about Mizuno Ami-san, would you?" he asked.

Nodding, Akira placed his briefcase, which he had set down on the floor out of the way, on the table and opened it. "Actually, yes. Yes, I am," he replied, putting some of the papers in the case. "Do you know her? Is she a student of yours?"

"No, I only know her by reputation. She currently holds the top spot in her class, doesn't she?"

"I believe so."

"Smart girl, that Mizuno-san. She gets it from her mother."

Akira paused and glanced up from his work. "Her mother?"

"Mizuno Saeko-sensei, formerly Hanabishi. She was a former student of mine with whom I've kept in contact over the years."

Remembering his interview with Ami the day before, Akira recalled her mentioning Dr. Mizuno in passing. "Oh, yes, Ami-chan told me her mother was a doctor. She wants to follow in her mother's footsteps."

"Those will be some mighty big shoes to fill," Dr. Nakajima chuckled. "Mizuno-sensei is one of the most highly respected surgeons in all of Tokyo, but if anyone can do it, I'm sure her daughter can."

"I'm sure she can, too."

After he finished putting his papers away, Akira snapped close the briefcase and shrugged out of his lab coat, placing it haphazardly on the hook beside the door before getting ready to leave.

"Are you on your way home? I can give you a lift, if you'd like," Dr. Nakajima offered.

"No, that's fine. Walking is about the only exercise I get nowadays."

The older professor smiled, placing a hand on his slight beer belly and jiggling the fleshy area. "I wish I had that kind of determination," he admitted.

"Looks like somebody has been eating a few too many éclairs lately," Akira said with a smirk.

"You know I've always had a fondness for donuts."

"Well, try to cut back, okay? We want to keep you around for a while yet."

"Will do," Dr. Nakajima promised, though both of them knew he wouldn't. "Are you sure you don't want that lift? Final offer. I was just about to head home myself, so it's no trouble."

"I'll be fine, but thank you," Akira said.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yes, later."

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"Mako-chan, I'm home!"

In the kitchen, where she was busy chopping up some onions for a new recipe she had learned at work, Kino Makoto smiled at the cheerful greeting. Even though she and Ami had been roommates for going on two years, it still filled her with happiness every time she heard those words. They had been absent in her life for far too long after years of living on her own.

"I'm in here, Ami-chan!" she called out, expertly transferring the onions to a pan.

The blue-haired girl entered the kitchen a few seconds later, sniffing the air. "Mmm… What smells so good?" she asked, hopping up on one of the stools which surrounded the small island in the middle of the spacious kitchen.

"Shrimp étoufée," Makoto answered. "I'm trying out a new recipe I learned today at the restaurant. I hope it turns out well. It's a rather difficult recipe."

"If it was cooked by you, then it will be delicious," Ami assured her. "The other girls must be green with envy that I get to eat the great Chef Kino's cooking every night of the week."

Blushing, Makoto waved off the compliment. "I'm only just an apprentice. It will be a couple more years before I'll be a true chef," she reminded Ami as she turned down the heat on one of the burners. "So, how was your day?" she asked once that was done. "Wasn't today supposed to be your first day working at the lab with that young professor?"

"Yes, it was."

"So…don't keep me in suspense. How did it go?"

"It went well."

Makoto arched an eyebrow in her friend's direction. "'It went well'? That's all you have to say about it? You were practically bouncing off the walls last night in anticipation."

"I was not!" Ami protested bashfully. "Besides, you'd probably be bored with the details…"

"Hey, I might not understand science, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in what happens in your life, Ami-chan," Makoto said, joining her friend at the island. She estimated she had a couple of minutes to spare while her vegetables cooked. "Tell me what happened. Did you two find a cure for cancer yet?"

"Mako-chan, something like that would take years of research and experiments to discover."

"Well, if this professor is anywhere near as smart as you, it's only a matter of time, right? Between the two of you, I bet you two could even discover the secret of life if you put your minds to it."

The other girl blushed in embarrassment, waving her hands in front of her face. "You think too highly of me. I'm only a student assistant with much still to learn," Ami said, as modest as ever. "Anyway, Kitagawa-sensei's research is mostly focused on diabetes actually, not cancer."

"Diabetes?" She remembered hearing that word before, when one of the chefs at the restaurant had to prepare a special meal for a diabetic patron. "Isn't that the disease where you aren't allowed to eat sweets?"

"Hai," Ami answered. "Kitagawa-sensei's younger sister is a diabetic, and so he decided to dedicate his life to learning more about the disease."

"That's really admirable," Makoto commented, impressed. "Kitagawa-sensei sounds like a really great guy."

Navy blue eyes brightened significantly. "He is!" Ami chorused, causing Makoto to laugh at her obvious enthusiasm. "What's so funny?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Makoto wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and smiled at the dumb-founded genius. "You know, Ami-chan, I think Minako-chan might have been right after all," she said. "You do have a crush on him!"

"Ma-Mako-chan, he's my teacher!"

"So?"

"So… So… I admire him, that's all!" Ami declared a little too forcefully as a light blush tinted her cheeks. "Sensei is extremely intelligent, and funny, and caring…"

"…and cute," Makoto cut in, wagging her finger before Ami could even open her mouth to protest. "Don't even try to deny it. You said so yourself that he was handsome. Remember?"

"Only from a purely objective standpoint."

"Are you sure it was just 'purely objective?' It's pretty difficult to be objective about something like that…"

Ami's blushed deepened, but, unlike some people -- namely Minako and Usagi -- Makoto knew when to stop with her teasing. Sliding off the stool beside Ami, she went to check on her vegetables and saw that they were almost done. Makoto transferred them to another pan with the already cooked shrimp, added a few seasonings, and, a few minutes later, dinner was served.

"So, how was your day, Mako-chan?" Ami asked once they had sat down at the table to eat. "What else did you do besides perfect this fabulous recipe?"

"Oh, it was a pretty normal day," she replied with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Her day hadn't been nearly as exciting as Ami's first day at her new job. "It was slow at the restaurant, so we spent most of the time experimenting with new recipes. Oh, and Asanuma-kun came by for lunch, which was nice. He told me to tell you 'hello.'"

"Asanuma-kun? It's been a while since I last saw him. How's he doing?"

"He's doing great." Makoto felt the ends of her mouth tug up in a small smile as she thought of her longtime friend. It was true that he hadn't been around much lately, as he had been busy studying for his college entrance exams, then practicing with the university's baseball team once he got in, so any visit from him was a special treat. "He's enjoying his classes at school, and it sounds like he's doing really well in practice. In fact, since the right fielder broke his finger during their last game, Asanuma-kun thinks he has a good chance at making the starting line-up for a few games. He's really excited about the opportunity to play, especially since their team is currently ranked number one."

"That is exciting. Are you going to go see him play?" Ami asked.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping to invite all the girls to a game," Makoto admitted. "It's been so long since we really did anything together besides meet up at Crown. It'll be nice to hang out together like we used to and cheer Asanuma-kun on. What do you think?"

"A baseball game? I don't know. I'm not really a fan, and I might have a lot of homework to do that night…"

"Oh, come on, Ami-chan. It would mean a lot to Asanuma-kun, and I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun. Please?"

"Oh, okay," Ami relented with a smile. "If the other girls agree to come, I suppose I can take one night off from my studies. It has to be a weekend game, though, since I work Monday through Friday at the lab. I doubt Kitagawa-sensei will allow me to skip a session to go to a baseball game."

"Great! I'll call the other girls and see when we call all get together."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once she had finished helping Makoto clear away the dishes, Ami headed to her bedroom to study. She took a seat at the antique oak desk on the opposite side of the room, and, selecting her chemistry textbook, smiled as she opened the book to the correct chapter and started working on the first equation.

Some people liked to call her a bookworm, a description -- though hurtful at times -- Ami admitted was not far from the truth. From a very early age, she had shown an almost supernatural gift for attaining knowledge. Talking in full sentences by age one, reading at a middle school level by age two, solving simple algebraic equations before she had even started grade school -- by all definitions of the word, she had been a child prodigy, "the reincarnation of Einstein" as her doctor mother, herself a very intelligent woman in her own right, had liked to joke.

Later, Ami would learn her mother was half-right; she had been reincarnated from a previous life, but not Albert Einstein's. She was actually the reincarnation of Sailor Mercury, the princess of that same planet and widely regarded as a genius during that long-ago era, but Ami knew that she still had a long way to go before she could favorably compare her intelligence with that which her previous self possessed. That was part of the reason why she threw herself so heavily into her schoolwork, a competition of sorts against her past self to fulfill her intellectual potential, and, perhaps, in time, even surpass it. Knowledge was power, and though Ami knew her magical powers as Mercury were weaker compared to the other Sailor Senshi, she was determined to bridge that gap with her brain power.

Interrupted from her studying by the ringing of her phone, Ami involuntarily jumped before regaining her bearings and reaching for the receiver. It was her own private line, so she knew the call was for her and not for her roommate. "Hello?" she answered, bring the phone to her ear. "Mizuno Ami speaking."

"Ami, it's me," a woman's voice said. "I'm not interrupting your studies, am I?"

Ami grinned, her faint annoyance at being interrupted fading away. "No, okaa-san, it's fine," she replied, closing her chemistry book and setting it aside. "How are you?"

"Busy as usual," Mizuno Saeko sighed, the doctor's tired voice failing to conceal her fatigue. "I just finished working a double shift. Things have been crazy here at the hospital as of late."

"Well, maybe I should let you get some sleep…" Ami suggested, knowing how exhausted her mother must be after working two shifts back to back.

"No, don't be ridiculous. I'm fine. I've drunk so much coffee over the last few hours, I feel like I could run a marathon," she joked. "Believe me, Ami, coffee is a doctor's best friend. I want you to remember that when you start your internship. I never would have gotten through mine without it."

"I'll keep that in mind, okaa-san."

"So, what about you? Anything new happening in your life? Are you still doing well in your classes?"

"Actually, I just started a new job at the school," Ami announced proudly, excited to tell her mother about becoming Professor Kitagawa's lab assistant. As much as Makoto and the rest of her friends tried to share in her excitement, she knew only a fellow scientist could truly understand how important it was to her.

However, her mother didn't sound quite as pleased as Ami had hoped. "A job?"

"I'm working as a lab assistant under one of my professors," Ami said, ignoring the doubtful tone in her mother's voice. Nothing was going to ruin the euphoria of her day. "Isn't that great? Normally only graduate students are offered a job like this, so it's really an honor."

"Yes, it sounds like a wonderful opportunity… But are you sure you can handle a job along with your studies?"

A part of Ami was upset that her mother didn't think she could balance working and studying at the same time. After all, she had managed to keep up her grades while fighting as Sailor Mercury. Compared to battling supernatural creatures, working as a lab assistant would be a walk in the park. Ami sighed, though, realizing her mother only had her best interests at heart.

"Yes, okaa-san," Ami assured her. "It's only for a couple of hours a day, and I have weekends off. I have plenty of time to study. Besides, I'm learning so much from Kitagawa-sensei."

"Kitagawa-sensei? Is he the professor who you are working under?"

"Yes!" Unconsciously, Ami began to grin, thinking once again of the young professor. "Oh, okaa-san, Kitagawa-sensei is amazing," she said, her finger absent-mindedly twirling the cord of the phone. "You wouldn't believe how much he's accomplished so far, and he's still so young! He's going to achieve great things in his life, I know it. Plus, he has such a passion for science. I don't think I've ever met anyone so dedicated to his work. You can tell he really loves it."

"He sounds like a wonderful teacher, Ami."

"He is!" she agreed. "But it's more than that. He's also funny, kind, and amazingly intelligent…"

Ami didn't realize she had drifted off until she heard a soft, almost wistful, sigh coming from the other end of the phone. "Yes, I had a professor like that once as well," her mother said. "But, Ami, be careful, okay?"

Confused by the strange request, Ami furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? Be careful of what?"

There was a long pause before her mother finally answered, as cryptic as before, "Just…be careful."

Ami had absolutely no idea to what her mother was referring, but since she seemed to have no desire to elaborate on her warning, Ami wrote if off as simply a mother's worry that she would fall behind in her studies if she got too caught up in her new job. To Mizuno Saeko, school always came first. "Don't worry, okaa-san. I promise the second this job starts to interfere with my schoolwork, I'll quit, but it's not going to happen. I have everything under control."

"I'm glad to hear it." There was a short pause as the doctor opened what sounded like a box of frozen pizza on the other end of the line. "Well, I guess I'll let you go then, sweetie. I need to start dinner, and I'm sure you have plenty of homework to do now that you're working."

"Yes, I do," Ami admitted, glancing over at the closed chemistry book she had placed on top of the stack of four other textbooks she needed to look through before heading to bed. "I'll talk to you later, okaa-san. Try to get some rest, okay?"

"I'll try. Bye.

"Bye."


	3. Chapter 3

A few weeks later, Ami and Makoto went on their weekly trip to the supermarket to shop for groceries. While Ami pushed the cart, overflowing with enough food to feed a small army, the aspiring chef walked ahead, grabbing the necessary items with the ease of an experienced shopper and dumping them in the basket. Makoto would then be sure to mark the purchase off her grocery list, written on a piece of rose-printed stationery Ami had given her for her birthday.

"Well, it looks like we're almost done here, except for cereal," Makoto announced as they reached the last aisle in the store. She scanned the list one more time, checking to make sure she had gotten everything she needed. "Carrots, ginger, olives, curry -- did we get the vegetable oil, Ami-chan?"

Ami, who had been busy calculating the total of their grocery bill, looked in the cart and shook her head. She saw bottles of extra virgin olive oil and soy sauce, but no vegetable oil in sight. "It doesn't look like it."

"Darn, and it's all the way on the other side of the store," Makoto said, sighing. "I'll go get it. Why don't you grab the cereal, and I'll meet you up front at the register?"

"Do you want a certain kind?" Ami asked, knowing how particular Makoto was when it came to groceries.

"You choose. You eat it more than I do, anyway."

"Okay, I'll see you up front."

Once Makoto turned to leave, Ami pushed the cart down the store's cereal aisle and grabbed a random cartoon-decorated box from one of the shelves. Out of habit from her teenage years when her mother left her in charge of the shopping, she turned it to the side panel to look over the nutritional facts and frowned.

"Fifteen grams of sugar per serving?" she muttered to herself. "With that much in their systems, it's no wonder children are so hyperactive nowadays."

Ami put the cereal back and reached for another brand that looked somewhat healthier and apparently helped lower cholesterol, if the label was to believed. She was hardly in the danger zone when it came to that area, but it couldn't hurt to start early. Prevention was always the best medicine, as her mother liked to say. Again, she studied the nutrition facts, barely noticing when someone came up beside her and reached for a box of the sugary cereal she had rejected.

"Excuse me, miss," the shopper -- a man -- said, tapping her on the shoulder, "but would you happen to know where I could find the canned dog food?"

"Sure. Dog food should be on --" Lowering her box, Ami was stunned to see the man was none other than her boss. "Sensei!"

Professor Kitagawa looked as shocked as she did to run into her. "Ami-chan, what a pleasant surprise."

"What are you doing here?" Ami asked, blushing when she realized how rude that must have sounded. "I mean, I've never seen you here before."

"Oh, that's probably because I usually don't come to this supermarket," he explained, not offended at all. "I normally shop at the convenience store by my apartment building, but they're having some great sales today." As proof, he lifted up the hand-held basket he carried, which was nearly filled to the brim with microwavable dinners. About the only things that didn't require reheating were a jar of peanut butter, milk, and the Cocoa Puffs he had just selected.

"Wow, you must really like frozen food," Ami said, the future doctor in her holding back the urge to lecture him on the health risks of eating so much processed food. Considering his line of work, she knew he was probably already well aware of the dangers.

The professor made a face. "Actually, they taste horrible."

"B-But, then, why…"

"What can I say? They're fast and convenient, though terribly unhealthy, I know," he said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "It's the price I pay for never learning how to cook, I suppose. My secret shame."

"It's nothing to be ashamed about," Ami insisted. "I'm not much of a cook, either."

"You seem to do well enough."

Professor Kitagawa nodded his chin toward the almost-full cart behind her, which Ami had almost completely forgotten about.

"Oh, no, that's for my roommate, the real cook," she corrected. "I'm just here to help with the grocery shopping."

"I see."

"Mako-chan's amazing when it comes to cooking. She's studying to become a chef and wants to open her own restaurant or bakery some day," Ami continued, for some reason feeling the need to keep talking though she was fairly certain the professor couldn't care less about Makoto's life plans.

Instead of looking bored, however, he seemed rather impressed. "Really? Well, when she does, I'll have to remember to check it out. If you say she's good, then it must be true."

"She is," Ami insisted. "The best."

There was a brief pause before Ami finally remembered the reason why the professor stopped to talk to her in the first place.

"Oh, you wanted to know about where to find the dog food. You should be able to find it on aisle nine."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." With a grateful smile, he turned to leave. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Ami-chan. Bye."

After the professor left, Ami selected her final choice of cereal, then headed over to the registers, where Makoto was already waiting with a bottle of vegetable oil in her hands, along with a cheesy tabloid magazine she had grabbed to read to pass the time. The main headline read "Scientists create first half-cat/half-dog" in bolded yellow kanji and was accompanied by an obviously doctored photograph of what appeared to be a large Doberman with the face and fluffy tail of a Persian.

"You know, that's scientifically impossible," Ami said as she pulled up to one of the registers and began unloading their groceries onto the conveyer belt. "The felidae and canidae families are too genetically different to support the creation of a new species through cross-breeding."

"Oh, Ami-chan, there you are!" Embarrassed at being caught with such dubious reading material, a blushing Makoto quickly closed the magazine and put it back where it belonged. "Where have you been?" she asked, helping Ami with the food. "It shouldn't take that long to pick out a simple box of cereal. Wait a minute, don't tell me. Let me guess. You were comparing nutritional facts again."

"Actually, I happened to run into one of my professors, and we chatted for a bit."

"You mean teachers have to eat, too?"

"Of course they do," Ami said, her brief smile turning into a frown when she remembered Professor Kitagawa's basket of groceries, if they could even be called that. "Although I'm not sure if I would exactly call the frozen dinners he was buying fine dining."

The chef-in-training wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Frozen dinners? Those things are barely fit for human consumption."

"I know." Ami sighed, feeling a bit sorry for her teacher. Even if he didn't know how to cook, nobody deserved having to endure eating microwavable food night after night.

As Makoto walked over to bag their groceries -- she never trusted the bagboys to do it correctly -- Ami was suddenly struck by an idea. For weeks, she had been wanting to give Professor Kitagawa a "thank you" present for hiring her to be his assistant, but, until then, nothing she thought of seemed quite right to convey her feelings of gratitude for giving her such a wonderful opportunity.

Granted, she wasn't as good as Makoto was at such things, but, certainly, she could manage to put a little something together…

"Mako-chan, I'll be right back," Ami said after quickly jotting down a short list on the back of Makoto's original which she had left in the basket. "There are a few more things I want to get before I leave."

"Like what?" her roommate asked, raising an eyebrow as she double-bagged the carton of eggs they had bought. "We got everything on the list, Ami-chan. Besides, I don't think there's enough money in the food budget for much more."

"Don't worry. I'll pay for it out of my own pocket."

Before Makoto could object, Ami headed off to gather everything she would need for the perfect "thank you" gift.

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Monday morning, Makoto woke up at six o'clock, her usual time, and got dressed, yawning as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a tank top. She had stayed up far later than she probably should have on a Sunday night when she had morning classes and work the next day, but it had been hard to put down the shawl she had been crocheting, so she was forced to suffer the consequences.

After brushing her teeth and splashing some water on her face in an attempt to wake herself up, Makoto headed to the living room with watering can in hand. She was mildly surprised to discover that the lights were still on, but brushed it off as forgetfulness on her part. Considering the time when she finally made it to bed the night before, she could have easily left them on overnight. Without giving it a second thought, Makoto walked over to her potted orchid and started watering the plant.

"Morning, Hana-chan," she said, greeting the blossoming plant as she normally did every time she watered it. It was a belief held over from her childhood, passed on by her late mother, that plants had the ability to "hear," and, no matter how old she became, Makoto couldn't seem to break the habit of having little "conversations" with her flower friends. "Are you thirsty? I bet you are, after blooming such beautiful flowers. Here's a bit of water."

Once she finished watering the plant, Makoto bent down to smell one of the fragrant white blooms. However, the orchid's normally sweet-smelling scent was overpowered by something that smelled suspiciously like…shrimp?

Makoto straightened back up and sniffed the air around her, wondering if she had just imagined it. Sometimes, when she was hungry enough, her mind liked to play tricks on her, making her think she smelled food cooking in the kitchen. The shrimp smell was still there, though, and it was even stronger than the first time she detected it.

"What is that?" she asked aloud. "I haven't started breakfast yet."

Noticing that the light in the kitchen was on, Makoto walked over to the door and swung it open. There, she found her roommate at the stove, already dressed and wearing one of her aprons over her clothes, carefully placing a piece of shrimp into a sizzling frying pan.

For a moment, Makoto just stood in the doorway, watching Ami cook in disbelief. It certainly was a rare sight to see. Ami was by no means a bad cook, but when it came to their meals, Makoto did most of the cooking while Ami helped out with the simple things like preparing salads or rolling onigiri. The only times Ami did cook was usually when Makoto was working late at the restaurant, and, more often than not, she just reheated food Makoto prepared beforehand or made sandwiches. Makoto wondered what in the world had made Ami decide to get up before her normal wake-up time to fry shrimp, of all things.

"Ami-chan, what are you doing?" she asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

Ami turned around, apparently startled by her presence. "Oh, Mako-chan, you're up," she said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Um…I'm making lunch."

"I can see that, but why? You know I'm always happy to make your obento."

"It's not for me, exactly…" she admitted, her face growing redder.

"Oh?" Her interest aroused, Makoto entered the kitchen proper and snuck a peak at the half-filled obento boxes sitting on the counter. Already, Ami had prepared a variety of different foods, and a glance over at the rice maker confirmed that it was in use. "Who are you making such a fancy lunch for?" Makoto asked. "It must be somebody important if you're going through so much trouble."

"You don't know hi--"

Ami abruptly stopped before finishing the thought and turned her attention back to the shrimp, causing Makoto to raise an eyebrow in her friend's direction. Had Ami meant to say what she thought she meant to say?

"Him? Were you going to say 'You don't know him?'"

"It's not a big deal, Mako-chan," Ami said, not looking up from the pan.

"Not a big deal? When a woman makes a lunch for a man, it's always a big deal," Makoto declared, practically bursting with happiness for her roommate. That must have been why Ami had bought the extra groceries, because Makoto didn't remember buying the shrimp herself. A girl making a homemade lunch for a boy was almost always a sign of romance, and, as far as Makoto was concerned, it was about time that Ami found herself a boyfriend. "So, who's the lucky guy?"

"I told you he's nobody important."

"If he's nobody important, then you have no reason to act so mysterious about it, right?" Makoto reasoned, taking a bite of one of the fried shrimp Ami had placed on a plate. For somebody who didn't spend much time in the kitchen, it was actually not half-bad. "Good, but I think it could use a pinch more salt."

"Thanks." Completely ignoring Makoto's question, Ami sprinkled a bit more salt on the shrimp frying in the pan and started flipping the pieces over.

With a roll of her eyes, Makoto went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs for breakfast. Obviously, Ami was not very eager to reveal the identity of her mystery boyfriend, but, though she usually tried to respect her roommate's privacy, it was just too big to ignore. "Can't you just give me a little hint?" she pleaded, to which her roommate let out an audible sigh in response.

"He's just somebody from school. Like I said before, you don't know him."

"One of your classmates?"

"No, and no matter what you're thinking, this lunch has nothing to do with romance."

"I didn't say anything like that," Makoto said, though the blush she felt spreading across her cheeks was sure to be a dead give-away that she had been thinking it.

Ami laughed. "You didn't have to, Mako-chan. You can be as bad as Minako-chan sometimes when it comes to other people's love lives."

"I guess that's true," Makoto admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. "Okay, I get the message. You want me to butt out. Do you at least need any help with that obento?"

Ami shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd rather do this on my own."

"Oh, okay, but if you have any questions or need some assistance, just ask." Reaching up, Makoto pulled down a skillet from the hook above her head and placed it on the stove beside Ami's pan. "I'm going to start on breakfast. Scrambled eggs and bacon sound good?"

There were no objections on Ami's part, so Makoto got to work on breakfast, the two of them somehow managing to stay out of each other's way as they shared the spacious kitchen. Occasionally, however, Makoto found herself glancing over at her roommate as she worked and wondering who was going to be the recipient of Ami's homemade lunch. Despite her insistence to the contrary, Makoto was almost positive she was making it for somebody she liked, but Ami hadn't as much as mentioned having a crush on anybody. The fact that she wouldn't tell her who it was drove Makoto crazy.

Whoever it was, he had to be a very intelligent person to catch Ami's attention. Makoto couldn't picture Ami with anybody who wasn't at least as smart as her, which definitely cut down on the number of possible suitors. He probably was quite handsome, too, since Makoto knew Ami had a thing for pretty boys. Back during the whole Mercurious episode, she had once told the senshi her idea of the perfect guy was a "young Albert Einstein." Makoto had no idea what the discoverer of the theory of relativity looked like as a young man, but, if he was anything like the poster they showed Ami of "Mercurious" -- in reality, just a picture of one of Minako's idols to hide the real Mercurious' geeky, Umino-esque identity -- then Einstein must have been a real bishounen back in the day.

"Um, Mako-chan?"

Ami's voice broke Makoto from her thoughts, and she looked over at her roommate, who had stopped in the middle of rolling an onigiri and was giving her a strange look. "Hmm?"

"Well, I may not be as good a chef as you are," Ami said, pointing at the skillet, "but is bacon supposed to be that crispy?"

Makoto looked down and let out a swear when she saw smoke coming up from the pan. "Oh, no, I can't believe I did that!" she exclaimed, quickly turning off the burner and lifting the pan up to inspect the bacon. She sighed once she managed to wave most of the smoke away to reveal eight pieces of burnt bacon, charred almost beyond all recognition. "Well, I always say I like my bacon extra crispy…"

Ami smiled, looking as if she was trying desperately to hold in her laughter, and got back to work on her rice balls. "Don't worry about it, Mako-chan. I'm sure they'll taste fine."

"You sure?" Taking a fork, Makoto attempted to pick up one of the pieces, but when she tried to stab the overcooked meat, the bacon crumbled right in half. Oh, if only her colleagues at the restaurant could see her now… "I'll make another batch," she offered, already tossing the old batch away. Her pride as a future chef refused to allow her to serve such sub-par food.

"You don't have to go through the trouble," Ami said, putting the final touches on her onigiri and placing it in the obento. "How does this look, Mako-chan?"

After putting her skillet in the sink, Makoto walked over to where Ami was standing and looked over her shoulder at the filled boxes with a critical eye. Quite honestly, Makoto was impressed with what she saw. The food looked delicious and was set in a lovely presentation.

"Nice job," she praised, causing Ami to blush faintly at the compliment. "I can tell you worked really hard to make this."

"Do you really think so?"

Makoto nodded, a sly smile crossing her lips as she glanced over at Ami from the corner of her eye. "A lot of love was put into preparing this lunch."

"Mako-chan!"

Unable to help herself, Makoto laughed as Ami's blush from before deepened. She really was too easy to embarrass. "What? It's true, isn't it?" Makoto teased. "Ami-chan has a boyfriend! Ami-chan has a boyfriend!

"I-I told you it was nothing like that!"

"So you keep saying, but the food says otherwise…"

"I made this lunch to show my gratitude to somebody, that's all," Ami insisted, wrapping the boxes up once she managed to recover. "There's no ulterior motive."

Makoto still didn't know whether or not she believed her, but she decided to let the subject drop, realizing it was pointless to keep badgering her about it. If Ami really did have a boyfriend, she was bound to spill the beans sooner or later. For now, she would just have to wait.

"Well, no matter what the reason, I'm sure whoever you're giving it to will love it, Ami-chan."

"Thanks."

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Ami left the apartment for her first class of the day at half after seven, balancing the obento she had made for Professor Kitagawa on top of her own lunch of the usual sandwiches.

She hoped the professor liked the gift. Ami didn't know what his favorites were, so she had prepared a virtual smorgasbord of different foods in hopes that he would like at least one or two things. She suspected, though, that just about anything homemade would look delicious after eating frozen dinners and take-out night after night, even if she wasn't quite up to Makoto's level when it came to cooking.

Thinking of her roommate, Ami frowned. Makoto seemed absolutely certain that she had made the lunch for some secret boyfriend. Maybe she shouldn't have acted so mysterious about the fact that it was really for a professor. It wasn't as if Makoto would be able to ruin the surprise. She didn't even know Professor Kitagawa.

Still, Ami couldn't help but feel the need for privacy concerning her relationship with the professor, despite the fact that it was only professional. She couldn't quite explain the reasoning behind it, only that she didn't feel comfortable talking about him with Makoto or the other girls.

When she finally reached campus, it was about ten minutes to eight, which was when Ami's first class started. She had planned to drop off Professor Kitagawa's lunch before class, but there wasn't enough time if she didn't want to be late. With a sigh, Ami decided it could wait until lunch time and headed towards the mathematics building.

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After dismissing class later that day, Akira turned around and started erasing his dry erase board.

"Sensei?"

Involuntarily, Akira jumped at the sound of another voice, having thought everyone had already left and he was alone in the classroom. However, when he turned around, he saw that it was only his new lab assistant, looking downward with her hands held behind her back, and he smiled.

"Ami-chan, what are you still doing here?" Akira inquired, putting down his eraser. "Do you have a question about the lecture I just gave?"

Ami shook her head and shyly held out her hands, revealing the obento she had been hiding behind her. "This is for you," she said when he gave her a confused look. "In gratitude for everything you've done for me these last few weeks."

"For me?" Hesitantly, Akira took the boxed lunch from her hands, not certain how he should react to such an unexpected surprise. None of his students had ever done anything like that for him before. "You know you didn't have to do this. If anything, I should be the one thanking you for your hard work."

"I wanted to."

"Thank you." Setting the box down on his desk, Akira untied the cloth wrapped around the obento and set it aside. He only expected a simple lunch, due to Ami's confession of her less-than-stellar culinary skills the day before, but his eyes widened when he saw the amount of food packed into the box, everything arranged in a beautiful presentation that was obviously the work of an expert. Akira shook his head in disbelief. "Ami-chan, this is too much," he protested. "I couldn't possibly accept--"

"It's nothing," she insisted. "Really."

Akira didn't want to insult Ami by refusing her thoughtful gift, but he also didn't feel right about accepting such an extravagant lunch from a student. He wasn't even sure he could eat the whole thing by himself, there was so much food. "In that case, why don't we share?" he suggested, feeling it was some sort of a compromise.

"S-Share?"

"Sure, why not? There's enough food here for at least two people, if not more." Akira took the obento and rolled his chair in front of Ami's usual seat in the front row of the lecture hall. "You don't have a class or anything to attend, do you?" he asked when he noticed that Ami had made no move to join him, the girl practically frozen in place and staring at him as if he had just told her to walk across a bed of hot coals.

"N-No, I was just about to take a lunch break myself."

"Then sit down and help yourself." With his hand, Akira indicated the seat across from him. "I insist."

She hesitated, but finally, Ami took a seat, pushing her things to the side and taking out her own, more modest obento, mostly filled with sandwiches. They each pulled out a set of chopsticks and said "Ita da ki masu" before digging in.

Because there was so much to choose from, Akira couldn't decide where to start. Everything looked so delectable, from the plum rice balls to the octopus-shaped wieners -- it was impossible to choose. Seeing Ami reach for a fried shrimp, however, he figured it was as good a choice as any, so he grabbed one as well and took a bite.

"This is delicious!" he complimented, taking another bite. "Did your roommate make this? If she did, she's one heck of a chef."

Ami cast her eyes downward, blushing in embarrassment. "Actually, I made it myself."

"You did? Well, my compliments to the chef, then. This is some of the best fried shrimp I ever had."

Ami shook her head. "Oh, no, it's not that good," she insisted modestly. "Mako-chan's shrimp is much more delicious."

"I find that hard to believe," he teased.

"It's true. She's working as an apprentice at _Umi's_ , so she learned from the best."

"Isn't _Umi's_ that fancy four-star seafood restaurant near the bay?"

"Yes, it is."

Akira whistled in appreciation. Though he had never been there before himself, he was aware of its reputation as one of the finest dining establishments in Tokyo. Dr. Nakajima had been on the waiting list for a reservation for months. "Impressive."

"Yes, Mako-chan really is talented when it comes to the culinary arts," Ami said, her voice filled with pride.

There was a brief lull in their conversation as they silently enjoyed the meal, Akira savoring each and every delicious morsel as if was the ambrosia of the gods. It had been much too long since he had eaten a proper meal that didn't come from the convenience store or a fast-food restaurant. Even if Ami didn't think much of her culinary skills, compared to what he was accustomed to eating, she was Iron Chef Sakai.

"So, what kind of doctor do you want to be, Ami-chan?" Akira asked after finishing off an onigiri, figuring it was about time he learned more about his lab assistant. In the weeks since they had started working together, he had learned only little more than he already knew about his brightest student. Ami rarely offered personal information about herself unless he asked first.

Pausing in mid-bite, Ami brought down her chopsticks and looked up in surprise. "Pardon?"

"You've never told me. What do you want to specialize in? Neurology? Cardiology? Pathology?"

"I'm not really sure yet," she admitted after a short pause, "although lately I've been thinking of following my mother into surgery. Then again, just last month, I was absolutely certain I wanted to be a oncologist, and the month before that, it was a pediatrician."

"I think you'd make a great pediatrician."

"You do?" A faint blush crawled up her cheeks.

He nodded and smiled at her modest reaction. "You seem like the type who would be good with children. I can definitely see it, although I bet you would be a fantastic surgeon as well, considering your pedigree."

The red in her cheeks deepened, but she appeared pleased by the compliment. "Why didn't you become a doctor?" Ami asked, managing to swing their conversation over to him, though she seemed flustered about asking such a question. "I-I mean, you're obviously smart enough, and you know more about diseases than anybody I've ever met…"

Akira shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because I have a squeamish stomach. Faint at the sight of blood," he lied, knowing she was just gullible enough to believe it.

Sure enough, Ami's brows furrowed together in confusion. "You do? B-But…"

"No, I don't," he said, laughing. It was kind of fun to tease her. "Actually, my parents did want me to become a doctor. I think they were a bit upset when I decided not to go to med school."

"Why didn't you?"

Akira paused, chewing his food as he pondered over Ami's question. As hard as it was to believe, nobody had ever really asked him before why he didn't go onto medical school. His parents may have been initially disappointed with his choice, but they never questioned him about his decision, trusting he made the right one. Unlike many parents, his were of the mindset that the best way to support their children was to encourage their interests, not force them into following a certain path, and, so far, it had been a recipe for success with Akira earning a PhD in chemistry and Satoshi near the top of his class in law school. While their sister Junko was not as academically gifted, she did possess a great deal of musical talent, even if her tastes ran more toward J-pop over Mozart and Chopin.

"I suppose it's because I've always been a chemist at heart," Akira finally answered. "I told you I was studying chemical engineering before Junko's diagnosis, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, I thought my skills were better utilized in pharmaceuticals, to take an active roll in helping to cure diseases, rather than relying on other people's research to treat patients," he explained. "Besides, I'm not sure I could handle being around so much illness and sadness all the time, you know?"

Akira didn't know what had possessed him to reveal the last part, having never even admitted to his family how much Junko's numerous hospitalizations over the years due to her diabetes had affected him, but Ami nodded, seeming to understand. "I know what you mean," she said, her voice soft as she absent-mindedly moved around the rice with her chopsticks without eating. "Sometimes, when I visit my mother at the hospital, I'll volunteer for an hour or two at the children's terminal ward. It just breaks my heart when I see those smiling faces, fighting bravely until the end…" For a long moment, Ami looked as if she was fighting to hold back tears, but, before Akira could say anything, the look had disappeared, and she forced a small smile. "Still, despite the pain, I really can't think of a more rewarding job. Even if a doctor can't save everyone, it must feel great whenever they are able to help."

"I'm sure it does," he agreed, returning the smile.

The rest of the lunch was spent in mostly idle conversation, talking about what classes Ami was taking and the school in general. Akira discovered that she had a couple of the same teachers he had studied under during his undergraduate years, so they swapped "war" stories, Ami giggling behind her hand when he proceeded to do a fairly accurate impersonation of Dr. Sakaki, the nearly-deaf elderly history professor who Akira still believed must have been born some time during the Jurassic period. Apparently, the old man was still too proud to admit he needed a hearing aid and was even worse now than when Akira had taken his class.

Soon, they were both laughing so hard that the food was all but forgotten.

"You know, we really shouldn't make fun of Sakaki-sensei," Ami said, the first to recover. Her face was bright red, but it was hard to tell if it was from embarrassment or the laughter. "He really is a dear old man, and going deaf is nothing to laugh about."

"You're right," Akira admitted, wiping away a tear of laughter forming at the corner of his eye. "But 'JAPAN TRANSFORMED from a secluded FEUDAL SOCIETY into an INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD POWER under the rule of EMPEROR MEIJI, who REIGNED from the YEARS 1868 TO 1912.'"

That provoked another short round of giggles and chuckles, but when Ami looked down at her watch, she abruptly stopped and started getting her things together. "Oh, I didn't realize how late it was," she said, standing as she stuffed her notebook into her bag. "I ought to get going. My next class is in fifteen minutes, and it's over at the language arts building."

Akira was disappointed, as he had enjoyed the company, but he had his own class to prepare for. Some of the more dedicated students would probably be arriving within the next few minutes, and he still hadn't even begun to draw the diagrams he would be needing for the lecture.

"Thank you again for the lunch, Ami-chan," he said, wrapping up what remained of the obento. Akira figured he would eat the leftovers for dinner instead of heating up one of those disgusting frozen meals he had bought the day before. It would be nice to have real food for a change. "It really was delicious. I don't remember the last time I had such a wonderful lunch."

Smiling, Ami swung her bag over her shoulder. "I'm glad you liked it."

"I guess I'll see you this afternoon at the labs, then."

"Five o'clock, as usual?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you then. Bye!"

"Bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instead of going to the cafeteria for lunch, where she would be tempted by the thousands of fattening calories available for consumption, Yui spent her midday break sitting on a bench outside the science building and studying for a test for her next class, which was molecular biology. Normally, she would have met up with Hideki or vice versa, but, since he was busy in the computer lab with an important project for one of his classes, she was on her own for the day.

When she had finished looking over her notes, Yui reached into her backpack and pulled out one of the disgusting diet bars she had packed for her "lunch," if it could even be called that. She made a face as she tore open the package and took a bite, but she was so hungry that she forced herself to finish it off, as well as a second.

"Tastes like real chocolate? Yeah, right," she muttered, tossing the wrappers into the trash can beside the bench. "More like sawdust if you ask me."

Glancing down at her watch, Yui saw that she had about fifteen minutes to kill before class began. She already knew her test material backwards and forwards, so there was nothing much else for her to do. Thinking she might as well head up to class -- maybe the professor would give her an extra credit problem to work on while waiting for the class to officially begin -- she gathered up her things and climbed up the stairs to the science building.

The class was on the second floor, just a few doors down from Professor Kitagawa's classroom. As Yui passed by, she heard two voices -- a male and female -- leaking out of the slightly-ajar door. Out of mild curiosity, she stopped to see who the professor was speaking to, her eyes narrowing when she peeked through the small window in the door and saw none other than her hated rival gathering her things together while Professor Kitagawa wrapped up what looked to be the remainders of a boxed lunch with an obviously girly handkerchief.

 _Did Mizuno-san make him a homemade lunch?_ Yui wondered with a scowl. _Why, that little butt-kisser! Does she honestly think a couple of onigiri is going to earn her a few extra points on the next test?_

Yui was startled from her thoughts when the door suddenly opened and Miss Mizuno stepped out, almost crashing right into her.

"Oh, Yokoyama-san, I'm so sorry," Miss Mizuno apologized with a bow. "I didn't see you there. Were you waiting to see Kitagawa-sensei?"

Shaking her head, Yui tried her best to look friendly. "No, but you're leaving rather late, Mizuno-san," she commented. "Our class ended almost an hour ago. Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

A faint blush crawled over her rival's cheeks. "I ate with Kitagawa-sensei."

"Really? I didn't realize you two were such good friends."

"Well, we've been working together at his lab…"

"Oh, yes, you're his new lab assistant, aren't you?" Even though Yui tried to keep her voice even, there was a hint of jealousy in her tone. She had been interested in the job herself; however, by the time she talked to the professor about applying a couple of days after he made the announcement, he had informed her that he had already given the position to Miss Mizuno. It was just as well, since she didn't really have the time for a job with her studies and Hideki keeping her busy, but the fact that she had lost again to the girl genius was a sore spot. "So you were discussing your research?"

"Y-Yes, among other things," Miss Mizuno said, shifting her heavy book bag over to her other shoulder. For some reason, she suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Um, Yokoyama-san, I don't mean to be rude, but I really should be going. I need to get to my next class."

Yui stepped out of the way. "By all means, don't let me keep you. I'll see you later, Mizuno-san."

Miss Mizuno said good-bye and left, but not before saying, "Oh, by the way, great job answering that question in class today. That was a really interesting hypothesis."

"Thanks," Yui mumbled as Miss Mizuno went on her merry way to whatever class she had next.

Unconsciously, her hand curled up into a fist at her side. Oh, how she despised that girl! If anybody else had complimented her on her answer, Yui would have been walking on air. There was nothing she loved more than inferior students and amazed professors marveling at her intelligence, and, though she was outwardly modest about her achievements, inside, she always burst with pride at all the attention. Yet, whenever Mizuno Ami, girl genius extraordinaire, deigned to compliment her, Yui couldn't help but feel like a puppy being congratulated by its owner for learning how to sit when the command was "play dead."

Miss Mizuno didn't fool Yui in the slightest. Yui knew that the only reason she even congratulated her was to keep up her image of being a "nice" girl instead of the intellectual snob she truly was. She really had earned the nickname of "Little Miss Perfect," which Yui had given her their first year of university. Not only did Little Miss Perfect always receive the best grades, she was rich, pretty, and fairly popular with their fellow classmates despite the fact that she rarely participated in the usual college social events.

It made Yui sick.

Not for the first time, Yui wished there was some way to show everybody how much of a fake Miss Mizuno really was. Nobody could possibly be that perfect. It was a statistical improbability. She had to have at least one major flaw, but, much to Yui's eternal annoyance, the girl never made a wrong move. Even the rare times when she didn't make the top grade in the class, she was still perfect in her graciousness.

Sighing, Yui turned around and continued onto her next class, trying to get her rival out of her mind with little success. Maybe Hideki had a point when he told her it was time to give up her obsession with beating Miss Mizuno. Chances were that she would never be able to overtake the blue-haired genius in the class ranking. As much as Yui hated to admit it, Miss Mizuno was her intellectual superior, and no amount of late night cram sessions and study dates was bound to change that.

Yet the word "surrender" was not in Yui's vocabulary. Even if it was hopeless, she would never rest until she was number one.

With that in mind, she sat down in her usual seat and pulled out her notes for the test for one final look-over.

A person could never be too prepared.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Koshien is the most prestigious tournament in Japanese high school baseball.
> 
> Tokyo University (Toudai) and Meiji University are a part of the so-called Big Six, a league of six universities also including Keiou, Rikkyo, Hosei, and Waseda.

Ever since they had graduated from high school, things had changed between the group of girls who had once called themselves champions of justice. They were still as close as ever, but the realities of life after school meant that they rarely had the time to get together as they once did. Minako was caught up in trying to break into the entertainment business, Rei had taken on more duties at the shrine in addition to her priestess training, and even Usagi, who should have had plenty of free time due to being a ronin, filled her days with cram school classes and whatever alone time she managed to steal with an increasingly busy Mamoru. That was why Makoto was so happy that everybody had agreed to come to the game to watch Asanuma play, with the exception of Mamoru, who had to work. It would have been even better if Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru had been able to join them as well, but, unfortunately, they were even busier than the core group.

"Wow, look at all the people! It's almost like Koshien," a wide-eyed Usagi said once they made it inside the stadium. The place was almost packed to full capacity, making it difficult to even walk in some places.

"It's a pretty important game, from what Asanuma-kun tells me," Makoto, who took the lead, informed the others with a grin that had not left her face since they arrived. Since she was the tallest of the group, she was best able to maneuver them through the crowd. "The teams are currently tied, so whoever wins today will win the series."

"Who are they playing anyway, Mako-chan?" Rei asked. "I don't think you ever told us."

Before Makoto could answer the question, however, she noticed that one of their group was lagging behind, something having caught Ami's attention. At first, Makoto thought it was the guy garbed in a wild costume who was dancing near the men's restrooms, but then she spotted a couple of college-age kids walking by, dressed in matching sweatshirts from the rival school.

Tokyo University sweatshirts.

"Oh, no…"

Makoto felt like a complete idiot. She hadn't realized Asanuma's team was playing against Ami's school. When she asked him what game they should come and see, all she had been worried about at the time was finding a weekend game so that everybody would be able to come cheer him on. She hadn't even thought to ask who Meiji would be playing, even though she should have known Tokyo University might be a possibility since both schools were in the same league.

"Ami-chan, I'm so sorry!" she apologized. "I didn't realize. If I had known…"

"What's going on?" Minako interrupted, wearing the same confused look Rei and Usagi were sporting on their faces. Apparently, they hadn't seen the sweatshirts. "Mako-chan, why are you apologizing to Ami-chan?"

"They're playing Toudai," Ami answered for her, "my school."

Makoto frowned. The fact that Meiji was playing Tokyo University certainly put them in a tough bind. They had come to cheer for Asanuma and his team, but Ami couldn't exactly root against her own school, especially considering how many of the spectators were wearing Toudai's colors. "What are we going to do?" she wondered aloud. "We can't root for both teams, can we?"

"It's okay. I can still quietly cheer for Asanuma-kun while supporting my school. You guys go ahead and root for Meiji. I don't mind, since you came to support Asanuma-kun," Ami said, never one who liked to cause trouble.

Rei shook her head, however. "Actually, I think I'll join you, Ami-chan. Toudai's the underdog, so I don't mind. Besides, Toudai is my father's alma mater. I suppose I have a family obligation to cheer for them," she said with a sigh, apparently not too happy about the last part but willing to put her father issues aside in order to support Ami.

Usagi, on the other hand, couldn't switch sides. "Sorry, Ami-chan, I have to stay with Meiji. I promised Mamo-chan I would, since he can't be here to cheer on Asanuma-kun himself."

"I promised Asanuma-kun I would cheer for Meiji as well," Makoto announced with an apologetic shrug in her roommate's direction. "I can't break a promise."

"Then I'll be Sweden," Minako declared.

"Huh?" the other girls said in unison. Even Ami, who usually took it upon herself to correct Minako's many misquotes, looked confused by her latest mangling.

"You know, I'll be neutral. I'll cheer them both on."

Ami sighed. "I think she means she'll be Switzerland."

"That's what I said. Didn't I?"

Violet eyes rolled. "Come on, Switzerland. Let's go check out the souvenirs before the game starts. I want to get a program. We'll meet you guys back at our seats," Rei said, grabbing the blonde's arm and pulling her toward one of the many booths set up.

Once the two of them were gone, Makoto again took the lead, guiding Ami and Usagi to their seats behind right field. Most baseball fans probably would have considered them terrible seats, as they were far from home plate and not even in a good position to catch foul balls, but they were the perfect spot to watch Asanuma play.

And, as an extra bonus to the odango-haired blonde, the concession stands were nearby.

"Mmm, it smells so good!" Usagi said not a minute after they sat down, her nose sniffing the air, which was filled with the mouthwatering aromas of hot dogs and popcorn. "I think I'm going to go get something to eat. You guys want anything?"

"Usagi-chan, I brought lunches for everyone," Makoto reminded her, holding up a large bag containing five large obento boxes. She had gotten up extra early that morning in order to prepare the special lunches, which included everyone's favorites.

"I know, but we still need drinks, and some snacks wouldn't hurt…"

Knowing it was pointless to try to stop Usagi when it came to food, Makoto smiled and waved her hand in the direction of the concession stands. "Fine, fine. Just don't ruin your appetite."

"I won't, Mako-chan. I'll be back as fast as I can," she promised before running off.

After Usagi left, Makoto turned her attention to the Meiji dugout where some of the players had recently appeared from the locker rooms. A few of them started doing stretches and other various exercises in front of the dugout, while two of the players -- the first two batters, or so she assumed -- grabbed an armful of bats and began swinging them around in order to decide which one they would use in the game. In the bullpen, the pitcher was already warming up, his fastball as impressive as Asanuma had claimed.

"Do you see Asanuma-kun yet?" Ami, who was sitting in the seat behind Makoto, asked.

"No, not yet… Wait, there he is!" Spotting the newest member of the Meiji University baseball team's starting line-up walking out of the dugout to join his teammates in the pre-game exercises, Makoto grinned and pointed him out to Ami. "Look, there's Asanuma-kun!"

Her squinting roommate reached for the pair of binoculars she wore around her neck, prepared as always. "Where? I don't see him."

"The one on the right. See? He's number 23."

"Oh, there he is! He looks so serious."

"It's a big game. He doesn't want to disappoint the team."

"He's playing right field, right?" Ami asked, bringing down her binoculars.

"Yeah. Most of the action usually goes to left field, but Toudai supposedly has a lot of left-handed batters in their starting line-up, so he really needs to be on his game. I hope he can handle the pressure. He's worked so hard for this opportunity…"

Unconsciously, Makoto brought her hand up to her mouth and bit down on her thumbnail. She didn't know why, but suddenly she felt as nervous as if she was one of the players out on the field. If she could feel that way just watching as a spectator, Makoto could only imagine the emotions running through Asanuma at that moment.

"I'm sure Asanuma-kun will do fine, Mako-chan," Ami assured her, lightly squeezing her shoulder. "We're all here to support him."

"Thanks, Ami-chan."

A few minutes later, Minako and Rei returned, the blonde having procured an air horn Makoto remembered seeing one of the vendors selling near the stadium entrance. Rei immediately took a seat beside Ami, but Minako, who remained standing, couldn't resist trying out her new toy, much to the annoyance of those sitting around them. Only the priestess, who sat reading the program she had bought as if nothing happened, managed to keep from flinching at the harsh sound.

"Isn't this thing great?" Minako asked, letting out another loud blow. "And it was only 600 yen, too. Asanuma-kun won't be able to miss us cheering for him."

"And neither will anybody else, for that matter," Makoto said, taking her fingers out of her ears. As Minako's seat was right next to hers, she had gotten the worst of it. "Minako-chan, couldn't you have bought something a little quieter to show your support for Asanuma-kun? Like a foam hand or a flag?"

Minako pouted. "Oh, come on, Mako-chan, lighten up. You sound just like Rei-chan. It's not like it's my fault that the noise makers were the only neutral cheering devices. As the Sweden--"

"-- Switzerland --"

Minako either ignored Ami or didn't hear her, not missing a beat. "--of our group, I couldn't possibly buy any team-related merchandise."

"Well, at least wait for the game to begin."

Grumbling, Minako reluctantly agreed and plopped down in her seat as Rei pulled two tiny capsule-shaped foam plugs from her ears. So that was how she could remain so calm and serene even with all the noise Minako had made. Makoto wondered if Rei had brought the earplugs from home in anticipation of what would most likely be a very loud game or if she had bought them from a vendor after Minako had made her purchase, but before she could inquire about it, Rei asked, "Hey, Mako-chan, where's Usagi-chan? You didn't lose her, did you?"

"Oh, she went to get refreshments."

"Already? But the game hasn't even started yet."

Makoto shrugged. "Well, you know Usagi. She couldn't resist the temptation once she smelled hot dogs and pop--"

"I'm back!" a cheerful voice sang as its owner took a seat on the other side of Makoto.

Rei rolled her eyes. "Speaking of the devil…"

Makoto fought back the urge to do the same when she turned to her left and saw the huge box of sweets and junk food sitting on Usagi's lap. She must have spent her entire allowance at the concession stand. Just a quick glance at the box revealed it contained one medium tub of popcorn, a bag of cotton candy, two hot dogs, and more candy than Willy Wonka's factory produced in a single year.

"Usagi-chan, you didn't buy all that for yourself?" Ami asked, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible.

The blonde blushed. "Uh…no?"

Minako, having also spotted Usagi's stash, reached over Makoto and grabbed a chocolate bar from the top of pile. "Ooh, Snickers!" she squealed, ignoring Usagi's none-too-subtle glare as she opened the package and took a bite. "Mmm…chocolate…"

"I wouldn't mind some Pocky myself," Rei said, looking over Usagi's shoulder at the selection. "Did you get any strawberry?"

Even Ami couldn't resist the temptation to take advantage of Usagi's "generosity," her hand tentatively reaching down for the large plastic bag of fuzzy sweetness. "It's been years since I had cotton candy…"

As tasty as the hot dogs looked, though, Makoto refused to give in, remembering the bag sitting at her feet. Even if the rest of the girls insisted on ruining their appetites before lunch time, she wasn't about to let her hard work go to waste. "Usagi-chan, did you remember to get the drinks?" she asked the odango-haired girl instead.

"Oh, yeah, they should be around here somewhere…" Looking relieved that Makoto hadn't wanted any of her goodies, Usagi began digging underneath the pile of candy, which evidently wasn't as big as it first appeared, and pulled out a six-pack of canned tea. "Here we go. I wasn't sure what everybody wanted, so I thought tea was the best bet. Who's thirsty?"

Four hands, including Makoto's, shot up, and Usagi passed out the cans, taking one for herself and setting the final one aside for later. Just as Makoto pulled back the tab on her drink, she noticed the Tokyo team, who would be pitching first, taking the field. The Meiji team was back in their dugout, save for the first two batters in the line-up, who had decided which bats they wanted to use and were warming-up with a few practice swings.

"Looks like they're about to begin," she announced to the others, cringing when Minako once again blew her horn.

"Hey, you said to wait until the game started," Minako reminded Makoto with an innocent shrug.

Luckily for Minako, Rei grabbed the offending noise maker out of her hand and hid it inside her purse. Minako pouted for a minute, but she got over her disappointment quickly when Ami offered the use of her binoculars. "Wow, Meiji has some hot players," she said, practically drooling as she focused her sights on the first player at bat. "Is it too late for me to switch to the Meiji side?"

"Minako-chan, you shouldn't root for a team just because they have cute players," Rei scolded.

"But look at number 12. He's built like a Greek god!"

That much was true. Shielding her eyes from the bright afternoon sun, Makoto focused her attention on the batter, who, from what she could see, was very good-looking, with bronzed skin and toned, strong arms. At another time, she probably would have joined Minako in the boy-crazy blonde's open admiration of the player's beauty, but instead, she glanced over at the Meiji dugout where Asanuma, who would be batting third in the line-up, was waiting, and smiled.

"Asanuma-kun looks pretty good today, too," Minako said, causing Makoto to jump in surprise. Had she noticed her staring at him?

"W-What?"

The blonde grinned. "Come on, don't you think he looks nice in that uniform, Mako-chan?"

"Yeah, he…he looks good," Makoto stuttered, looking away from the others so they couldn't see how pink her cheeks had become.

She needn't have bothered, however, for the game had begun and nobody was paying attention to her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If there was one thing Kitagawa Akira loved as much as chemistry, it was the game of baseball. His job left him precious little time to indulge in his favorite pastime, though, so, whenever he got the chance to attend a game, he allowed his inner child to let loose. It was only the second inning of the Toudai/Meiji game, but, already, his throat felt dry and scratchy from screaming so loud.

"You know, Akira-kun, if you aren't careful, you're liable to lose your voice," Dr. Nakajima, who had come with him to the game, warned, though he seemed more amused than worried. "Remember, you've got classes to teach tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Akira knew his colleague was probably right, but that still didn't stop him from yelling at the top of his lungs when Toudai earned their first run of the game. Dr. Nakajima shook his head in mild exasperation.

"Just like a little kid, you are. Never listening to your elders."

"Sorry, I can't help myself. You know how I get at games," Akira apologized with a grin once the crowd settled down. Plopping back down in his seat, he reached over and grabbed a handful of buttery popcorn from the large bucket in his mentor's lap.

"Hey, get your own."

Akira rolled his eyes and popped one of the kernels in his mouth. "Like you really need to eat all that. Didn't you tell me that your doctor told you to watch your diet more closely at your check-up last week? I doubt a large tub of popcorn with extra butter is going to help lower your cholesterol," he scolded, wagging a finger for good measure.

The older professor made a face at the reminder, but reluctantly passed the bucket over to Akira. "Fine, take it," he said, with an overly dramatic sigh. "You're not going to let me enjoy it anyway."

"Ooh, free food!"

Dr. Nakajima chuckled just as his cell phone began to ring. He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and frowned when he saw who it was on the Caller ID.

"Who is it?" Akira asked, surprised by the confused look on his face.

"It's the lab, but I… I have to take this," Dr. Nakajima said, standing. "I'll be back in a minute."

Akira watched as the portly man made his way underneath the stands, then sat back in his chair. His mind refused to concentrate on the game, however, wondering why the lab was calling Dr. Nakajima on a Sunday. Hardly anybody came in on Sundays, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Dr. Nakajima wasn't gone long. He returned about ten minutes later, a serious look on his face.

"What did the lab want?" Akira asked. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm afraid so, Akira-kun."

"Nothing serious, I hope."

"I'm not sure," the geneticist admitted with a slight frown. "Kamina-sensei didn't give me many details. Apparently, some of the genetically-modified mice I created for that experiment we've been working on have been showing signs of illness. He's doing the blood work right now, but it sounds like we might have an epidemic on our hands."

"An epidemic?" Akira stood from his seat, all thoughts of the game replaced by concern for the experiment, one of his most important. "Does Kamina-sensei think it might be a side effect of the drug we've been giving them?"

"We won't know for sure until the tests have been completed and studied, but, from the symptoms Kamina-sensei mentioned, my thought is that the disease was caused by outside forces, rather than something related to the medication or genetics. The sick mice were all confined to one cage, while the other mice show no symptoms at all, despite taking the same drug. In any case, I'm sorry to cut the day short, but I really should go over there and get this sorted out."

"I'll go with you," Akira volunteered, already gathering his things.

Dr. Nakajima shook his head, however, motioning him to sit back down. "No, you stay here and watch the game, Akira-kun. I can handle this. More than likely, it's just your garden variety communicable illness, nothing to be concerned about in regards to the experiment. There are still plenty of subjects in group C left, and as long as we caught this early enough, the others probably won't be affected. The infected mice have been quarantined until we decide what to do with them."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll see you tomorrow," Dr. Nakajima said as way of an answer. "Cheer double for me, okay?"

"I will."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Go, Toudai!"

Ami had to admit the game was more exciting than she thought it would be. She hadn't even pulled out any of the books she had brought along just in case she got bored, too caught up in cheering for her school's team -- not that she would have been able to study anyway. Ami prided herself on being able to concentrate in almost any situation, but that list did not include a stadium packed with overzealous fans, over a third of which who sounded as if they were in possession of one of those air horns Minako had bought.

Parched after yelling so loudly, Ami reached down for the last can of tea Usagi had set aside. Instead of the can, however, her hand accidentally wrapped around Minako's wrist, the blonde evidently having the same idea.

"Oh, Ami-chan, did you want this?" Minako asked, offering her the can.

Ami shook her head, motioning for Minako to keep it. After all, she had gotten to it first. "It's okay. You take it."

"You sure?"

"Yes, it's fine. I'll go down and buy some more," Ami said, standing from her seat and grabbing her book bag, which held her wallet. "Does anybody else want anything?"

Everybody else was fine for the moment, thanks to Usagi's box of junk food, so Ami headed down to the concession stands and got in line. Judging by the length of the line that it would be quite awhile yet before she reached the register, she sighed and pulled out her history textbook from the bag, turning to the chapter on the Crusades.

"Getting a head start on your homework, Ami-chan?"

The male voice, which sounded vaguely familiar, startled her, causing Ami to drop her book on the ground in surprise. The man behind her bent down to pick it up, and, as he stood back up, she realized it was Professor Kitagawa.

"Kitagawa-sensei!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized with a grin, handing her back the book. "Here, I believe this is yours."

Taking the book, Ami nodded and hugged the text close to her chest. For some reason she couldn't quite understand, her heartbeat, which had sped up at the shock of hearing his voice, had yet to resume its normal rhythm. In fact, it felt like it was beating even faster, something that seemed to be happening more and more lately whenever she found herself in close proximity of Professor Kitagawa. "T-Thank you."

"You know, we really must stop meeting like this," he said. "Imagine running into you here at the game of all places. You never struck me as a baseball fan."

"Oh, I'm not really," Ami confessed, trying to ignore the rapid pounding in her breast. "I'm here with a group. One of my roommate's friends plays for Meiji, so we came to cheer him on."

The professor arched an eyebrow. "Rooting for the competition? I must say that's rather bold of you."

Ami blushed, wishing she hadn't mentioned that last part. "I'm not. I mean, I do hope Asanuma-kun does well, but I still want Toudai to win or at least tie with Meiji."

"It doesn't look very likely at the moment," he declared with a slight frown. "They're kicking our asses out there -- pardon my French."

Just then, the line they were in significantly shortened. Ami put her book away, not needing it anymore, and the two of them moved up before a couple of Meiji students could cut in front of them.

"Are you a fan?" Ami asked, switching her bag to her other shoulder.

"One of the biggest. My family thinks I'm a baseball nut," the professor admitted with a chuckle. "I try to make every game I can, but it's not easy with my hours at the lab and whatnot. This is actually only the fifth game I've been to this season."

"Are you here with anybody?"

"Nakajima-sensei came with me, but he left in the middle of the third inning. A problem at the lab or something like that. He was rather in a hurry to leave, so I didn't get all the details." Pausing, the professor seemed to consider something, his face then breaking into a smile. "Hey, why don't you come sit with me, Ami-chan?" he offered. "The faculty always gets some of the best seats, and, with Nakajima-sensei gone, his seat is just going to waste. Seems like such a shame. Besides, I'd really like to repay you for that fantastic lunch you brought me if you would let me."

Professor Kitagawa wanted her to join him for the rest of the game? Under other circumstances, Ami would have jumped at the chance to spend more time with her favorite teacher, but when she remembered Makoto and the others waiting for her in the stands, she sighed. As much as she would have loved to join him, she couldn't just ignore the girls, especially when this was one of the few times they had all gotten together outside the monthly Crown meetings since graduating high school.

"Thank you for the offer, sensei, but I probably shouldn't. I'm here with my friends, and it would be rude to blow them off. We don't get to spend much time together anymore."

"Oh, right. I understand. Maybe some other time," he suggested, seeming a bit disappointed.

"Yeah, maybe."

After that, silence fell between them, the professor flipping through his program while Ami pretended to study the menu above the booth, though food was the last thing on her mind at the moment.

Would the girls really mind if she sat with Professor Kitagawa for at least a couple of innings? After all, she had pretty much missed the third inning already and probably some of the fourth while standing in line. What was a couple of more? Besides, since Dr. Nakajima had left, the professor didn't have anybody else to keep him company. Surely they would understand…

"Maybe a couple of innings wouldn't hurt," Ami said, turning back around.

Professor Kitagawa looked up from his program in surprise. "But aren't you and your friends having a girls' day out? I wouldn't want to spoil your plans."

"I don't think they would mind." Unzipping her bag, Ami began digging around for her cell phone. Hopefully, one of the girls still had her phone on so she didn't have to go back and tell them where she was going. "I'll just call --"

"May I take your order, miss?"

Looking back up, Ami noticed that they had finally reached the front of the line. The man behind the counter taking orders was looking at her expectantly. "Oh…um…"

"Don't worry about it," Professor Kitagawa said, pulling out his wallet. "I'll take care of your order. Tea and a hot dog sound good?"

"No, I couldn't --"

"I insist." The professor cut in front of her and gave the man his order. "One beer, one tea, two hot dogs, and a bag of those sour-cream-and-onion chips, please."

"Coming right up," the man said, grabbing a beer and tea from underneath the counter before starting on the rest of the order.

"Ami-chan, the phone call?" Professor Kitagawa reminded her.

"Oh, right."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Go on, go on, go on… YES!"

Screaming as if she had just won the lottery, Makoto jumped up from her seat and pumped her fist in the air as Asanuma slid into second base just before the baseman caught the ball, allowing two more runners to make it home. What an amazing play! The crowd went wild, even managing to drown out the noise of Minako's air horn, which she had dug out of Rei's purse when the priestess wasn't paying attention.

It was amazing that Makoto even managed to hear her cell phone ring over the racket, but, when the faint strains of her ringtone started playing, she pulled the phone out of her pocket and brought it to her ear. "Hello?" she shouted, plugging her other ear with a finger to block out some of the cheers. As it was, she could just barely make out the caller's voice on the other end. "Ami-chan, is that you? What's taking so long? You just missed Asanuma-kun's amazing double."

The caller spoke up. It was indeed Ami's voice. "Sorry, Mako-chan," she apologized. "I'm still down at the concession stands."

"Still? How long does it take to buy a can of tea?"

"The lines were terrible. I just now made it to the front."

"Is there some kind of problem?" Makoto asked, wondering why Ami had called her when it sounded like she would be back in a matter of minutes. "Did you forget your wallet or something?"

"Actually…I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind if I sat with Kitagawa-sensei for a while," Ami said. "His friend had to leave the game early, so he offered me the extra seat. It would only be for a couple of innings. I'll be back by the seventh-inning stretch."

Makoto arched a doubtful eyebrow. "You want to sit with your professor?"

"Yes. I know you wanted us all to spend the day together, Mako-chan, but Kitagawa-sensei is all alone, and I --"

"Sure, go ahead," Makoto suddenly answered, a sly smile crossing her lips as a thought came to mind.

They would miss her, but, if Makoto's suspicions were correct, Ami hadn't run into Professor Kitagawa at all. Ami just wasn't the type of person to blow off her friends to spend quality time with a teacher, no matter how much of a genius she was. Besides, that story seemed a little bit too unbelievable. What kind of professor offered his student a free seat to a baseball game, even if it had been vacated by a friend? That positively reeked of favoritism.

No, Makoto had a gut feeling that Ami had, in fact, ran into the mystery boyfriend for whom she had made that delicious lunch a few weeks previous. Actually, the more she thought about it, she realized they could have planned the whole rendezvous days ago. Ami had seemed surprised when they arrived at the stadium and discovered that Meiji was playing her school, but, really, how could she not have known? There were probably flyers and posters about the game all over campus, and Ami was nothing if not observant. Even if she wasn't much of a fan, Makoto found it rather hard to believe that Ami wouldn't have known beforehand.

On the other end of the line, Ami sounded surprised that it was so easy to get her to agree. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"It's fine, Ami-chan. Really," Makoto assured her, still grinning. "Have fun."

"Thank you for understanding, Mako-chan. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

After hanging up, Makoto put her cell phone back in her jacket pocket and sat back down. By that time, the crowd had calmed down somewhat, and Meiji was taking the field. Though she knew Asanuma probably couldn't see her, she waved to him as he took his spot in right field.

"Who was that, Mako-chan?" Minako asked, referring to the phone call.

"Oh, that was Ami-chan. She apparently ran into somebody down at the concession stands, and they invited her to sit with them. She'll be back by the seventh inning stretch, though."

"You said it was okay? I thought today was supposed to be girls' day out."

Makoto shrugged, unable to hide a small smile. "Let's just say that I have a feeling that Ami-chan will have a much better time with them than she would with us," she said mysteriously, just as a Toudai batter made contact with the ball, sending it straight in Asanuma's direction. She and the others once again jumped up from their seats to cheer.

"Go, Asanuma-kun! You can do it! YES!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That'll be 2000 yen with your faculty discount, sensei."

Akira pulled out his wallet, and, after paying the cashier, he grabbed the box of food and went over to where Ami had just finished her phone call. "All set?" he asked as she put her phone away.

Ami nodded. "Mako-chan didn't mind. I promised to be back by the seventh inning stretch, though," she said, turning back around to face him and frowning at the box of food in his hands. "Kitagawa-sensei, you really didn't have to buy me anything."

"Nonsense. Just consider it a 'thank you' for all the hard work you've been putting in at the labs these past few weeks, although a tea and hot dog hardly seems adequate enough to convey my gratitude." After double-checking that the man had given him the extra relish he had requested for his hot dog, Akira jerked his head to the right. "Come on. The seats are this way."

Taking the lead, Akira led Ami to their seats, which happened to be right behind home plate. Ami's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she saw where they would be sitting.

"Wow, these _are_ fantastic seats," she breathed as she sat down in Dr. Nakajima's vacant spot. "Much better than ours."

Akira grinned. "One of the better perks of the job," he said, passing Ami her tea and hot dog. "If you and your friends are ever in the need of tickets to another Toudai game, just come see me. I can get you a really good deal."

"Oh, no, I couldn't take advantage of you like that, sensei!" Ami insisted, wearing the same look she had worn when he offered to buy her food.

"Well, the offer still stands anyway." Looking up at the scoreboard, Akira fought back the urge to swear in front of his student. While they were down at the concession stands, Meiji had managed two more runs, bringing the score to 5-1 in favor of Toudai's rivals. "Oh, man!" he exclaimed instead, slapping a hand on his knee. "Two more runs? They're killing us out there."

"It's not so bad. They still have five more innings to catch up."

Despite the fact that he knew the odds of Toudai managing a victory were about on par with winning the lottery, Akira couldn't help but smile at Ami's optimistic outlook on the situation. He could tell that she wasn't much of a fan. "You really don't follow the team, do you?"

"Guilty as charged. Why?"

"Well, if you did, you would know that this year's team has a reputation for losing steam in the second half of the game," he explained, pulling back the tab on his can of beer. He took a quick sip before continuing, "If they don't start off strong and earn a lot of runs in the early innings, they can usually kiss a victory goodbye. It's almost like they decide to give up. They've only had one come-from-behind win this entire season, and that was against Rikkyo, the weakest team in the Big Six. Even then, we only beat them by one run, a lucky homer by Izawa."

"Oh."

To further prove his point, Akira nodded his chin in the direction of the current batter, who had just received his second strike. "See? Did you catch that? That was a easy hit, but Shiraki completely missed the ball. The players are losing confidence in their abilities."

"Maybe they just need a little more encouragement," Ami suggested, standing up from her seat. Much to Akira's surprise, the usually quiet girl cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, quite loudly, "Come on, Shiraki-san! You can do it! Keep your eye on the ball!"

When Ami brought her hands back down, she looked rather self-conscious, as if she couldn't believe she had done it either, but her encouragements seemed to help. Shiraki hit the next ball clear into far left field. The left fielder tried to catch it, but missed, allowing Shiraki to easily run pass second and slide into third for a triple. The crowd, including Akira, went wild.

He couldn't believe it. "Amazing! I never knew Shiraki had it in him. He's a great catcher, but he's not known much for his hitting ability," Akira said, looking over at Ami incredulously. "If I believed in such things, Ami-chan, I'd think you were some kind of lucky charm."

Ami blushed furiously, waving her arms in front of her. "I didn't do anything, really."

Maybe not, but the next three players at bat each managed to get a hit, including a double from Takahashi. The gap between the scores lessened to 3-5. Unfortunately, the next batter hit a fly ball caught by the right fielder -- who happened to be Ami's roommate's friend -- to end the inning, but the Toudai crowd was going nuts. Even Ami, appearing to have gotten over her embarrassment, started jumping up and down, screaming with the best of them.

The beginning of the next inning was just as exciting. After a pitching change on the Toudai side, the relief pitcher managed to strike out the first two Meiji batters with only eight pitches. Though the third batter hit a single, the batter after him couldn't make it to first thanks to a quick play from the right fielder, thus ending the top of the inning.

"They're really turning it around," Akira marveled, sitting back down as the teams switched sides. "If this keeps up, we might actually be able to win this thing. Imagine that -- fifth-ranked Toudai pulling a victory over first-ranked Meiji. What a coup that would be!"

While Toudai seemed to lose a bit of their steam during the second half of the inning, they still managed to earn another run, bringing the score up to 5-4. Only one more run and the score would be tied.

As the game continued on to the sixth inning, Akira sat on the edge of his seat, his muscles tensed and his brain in high gear as he mentally calculated the probability of each of the Meiji batters getting a hit. The Toudai relief pitcher was still packing the heat when it came to speed, but Akira noticed that his pitches were becoming a bit more wild and erratic, even allowing an unintentional walk on the third batter. His eyes narrowed as Shiraki, the catcher, failed to catch a pitch thrown too far to the left.

"Keep the nerves in check, Takamori," he muttered, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his clenched hands. "As long as they don't score any more runs, we've got a good shot of winning. Don't blow it for us now."

"He needs to start throwing lower," Ami said. She, too, appeared to be deep in thought, her brows furrowed together. "He keeps pitching them high, and the batters are expecting it."

Akira nodded, agreeing with her assessment of the situation. "He also needs to stop with those fu-- I mean, stupid curve balls. His fastballs are more effective. His speed is good, so he should use it to his advantage."

The next pitch -- another curve ball, much to Akira's consternation -- soared into left field, but luckily, the left fielder was able to make an easy catch, resulting in the second out of the inning. With two runners still on base, though, Toudai really needed the next out. One solid double could bring another run home, and the next batter up for Meiji was the league's top hitter, who was responsible for nearly all his team's runs.

As Yamada took his place beside home plate, Akira slid up to the edge of his seat, and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ami had done the same. The formerly boisterous crowd subdued to a funeral quiet, and even the band had stopped playing, its members all waiting with baited breath.

The pitcher threw the first pitch. The 97 mph fastball flew right through the strike zone. There were a few scattered cheers from the Tokyo University fans, but Akira knew better than to celebrate just yet. Yamada had a reputation for letting the first ball go as a way to gauge the pitcher's skill. It would be the second pitch that would really tell the story.

Takamori tried another fastball, but this time, Yamada's bat connected with the ball, sending it to the far left outfield. For a few horrifying moments, it looked like it might be a home run. However, at the last moment, a sudden wind curved even further to the left, allowing an eager fan in the stands to catch it.

A foul.

Akira could sense the collective feeling of relief from the nearby Toudai fans, a sentiment he shared. If it had been a home run, Toudai, most likely, would never have been able to catch up.

The next five balls were also fouls. Yamada, who seemed shocked by the fact that he had two strikes against him, went after every pitch, whether it was good or not. It wasn't until the eighth pitch that he managed a clean hit, but fortunately, it fell infield. The shortstop easily fielded it, throwing it to the first baseman just before Yamada touched base and ending the first half of the inning.

"That was close," Akira sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Almost too close."

"At least Meiji didn't earn any more runs," Ami reminded him.

"Yeah, but if it wasn't for that freak wind…"

The beginning of the second half of the sixth inning did little to inspire Akira's confidence. The first batter struck out and the second hit a fly ball directly to the center fielder, who didn't even have to move from his spot to catch it for the second out.

When Akira saw the third batter come up to the base, he nearly declared the inning finished right then and there. The freshman shortstop had the worst batting average in the starting line-up, though he was very strong in the field, as he had proved in catching Yamada's ball. Any hope he had of keeping his current hero-status, however, would depend on whether or not he screwed up his at bat.

The boy was obviously nervous. He kept backing away from the base to wipe his undoubtedly sweaty hands on his uniform or to tighten his glove, causing some of the Meiji supporters to begin to boo. Finally, after about the fifth attempt at a stall, he walked back up to the base and got into position, determined to play.

He earned two strikes right off the bat.

"Oh, I don't think I can watch this," Akira said, turning his head to the side and shielding his peripheral vision with his hand. "Ami-chan, tell me what happens, okay?"

"Sensei, don't you think…Oh!"

"Oh?" Akira hesitantly looked back over at the field, eyes widening when he saw the ball flying straight down the center. "Oh!" he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat with the rest of the fans.

It looked as if it might be a home run. The ball showed no signs of dropping, soaring right over the center fielder's head. He tried to run to the back of the field, but he was too late. The Toudai crowd erupted into cheers when the ball finally landed safely in the stands, Akira's voice among the loudest.

"Home run! 5-5! Whoo!"

In fact, he was so in the moment, Akira didn't even realize he was hugging a blushing Ami until the next player came up to bat. He abruptly pulled away. "Uh…sorry about that, Ami-chan," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I have a tendency to become a little overexcited when it comes to baseball."

"I-It's okay," she said, bending down to gather her things. "Actually, I probably should start heading back to Mako-chan and the girls."

"But you still have half an inning before the stretch. That's when you decided to meet back together, wasn't it? You don't have to leave so soon."

"I know, but…" She let the rest of the sentence die off, throwing her bag over her shoulder. Akira noticed that Ami appeared to be avoiding looking directly at him, her cheeks still slightly red from before. "Thank you…well, for everything," she said, giving him a polite bow. "I'll see you on Monday, sensei. Goodbye."

"Ami-chan…"

He started to ask her again to stay, feeling they shouldn't leave things so awkward between them after what happened, but, just as Ami began climbing down the stairs on her way back to her friends, Akira felt his cell phone vibrating in his jeans pocket. Deciding to let her go, he pulled the phone out and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?… Yes, I'm still at the game… What? Are you sure?… No, I didn't… Okay, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes. Bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her heavy bag swinging against her hip, Ami walked as fast as she could to her original seat with Makoto and the girls, her heart pounding and her cheeks flushed.

When she finally spotted Makoto, who appeared to be sitting all by herself at the moment, Ami took a moment to catch her breath and compose herself. The last thing she needed was one of her friends guessing what had happened and reading too much into it. Minako, especially, would have a field day if she knew. The blonde still insisted she had a crush on Professor Kitagawa, no matter how many times Ami denied it.

"Ami-chan, what happened?" Makoto asked when Ami walked up. "You look like you've just run a marathon."

"Huh?"

"Your face, it's all red. You didn't run over here, did you?"

"Oh." Ami brought a hand to her cheek, which felt warm to the touch. "Yeah, I didn't want to be late."

"You didn't need to worry," Makoto said, chuckling. "You do realize that the seventh inning stretch happens in the middle of the seventh inning, not the beginning? You still had plenty of time."

"Oh, right. Silly me." Of course, Ami knew perfectly well when the seventh inning stretch began, but if Makoto wanted to believe she had gotten the time wrong, she wasn't about to correct her and face having to answer questions about why she had come back earlier than expected. "Where is everybody?" she asked, deciding to change the topic as she sat down in her seat in the row behind Makoto.

"Usagi-chan went to get us some more drinks, and Minako-chan dragged Rei-chan to the girls' room. They should be back soon." Makoto turned around in her seat to face Ami and grinned. "So, how was it?"

"How was what?"

Green eyes rolled, and Makoto giggled. "Hanging out with your 'professor,'" she clarified, putting a strange emphasis on the last word that Ami didn't quite understand.

"Why are you asking it like that?"

"Oh, come on, Ami-chan, you don't really expect me to believe you ditched us in order to watch the game with some professor."

"Mako-chan, that was the truth," Ami said, confused. Why would Makoto think she had lied about that? "I was with Kitagawa-sensei, just like I told you. You can ask him yourself if you want."

"You were?"

"Yes, I was. Who did you think I was with?"

The brunette shrugged. "Well, actually, to be honest, I thought maybe you were with whoever you made that lunch for that one time, your secret boyfriend."

"Mako-chan…"

Ami felt her cheeks start to warm again, but she managed to hide it by knocking Rei's program off her chair and bending down to pick it up. If only Makoto knew how close she was to the truth…

"Well, in any case, did you have a good time with Kitagawa-sensei?" Makoto asked. "You know, I can't imagine actually wanting to spend time with a teacher outside of the classroom. Wasn't it a little weird?"

"No, not at all." Still trying to hide her blush, which deepened when she remembered the hug, Ami began flipping through Rei's program. "It was nice. Kitagawa-sensei is a huge baseball fan, so he was really into the game."

"Well, you two definitely had a lot to cheer about," Makoto playfully pouted, turning back around and crossing her arms over her chest. "I can't believe Toudai managed to catch up with Meiji."

"But Asanuma-kun's been playing well," Ami reminded her, causing Makoto to smile proudly.

"He really has, hasn't he? Did you see him catch that ball at the end of the fourth inning?"

Ami nodded. "That was a great catch."

"And he's been doing fairly well at the bat, too. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to keep him on the starting line-up even after the usual right fielder came back. Wouldn't that be great?"

Ami was about to agree with her when Minako and Rei arrived back from their trip to the restroom, with Usagi not too far behind, carrying four bottles of water in her arms.

"Oh, Ami-chan, you're back early," Usagi said, handing two of the bottles over to Rei and Minako, who then resumed their seats. "If I had known, I would have bought another bottle. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Usagi-chan. I'm fine," Ami insisted.

"Where were you, anyway?" Minako asked, twisting open her bottle and taking a drink. "Mako-chan was being super mysterious about your whereabouts. If I didn't know better, I'd think you ran off to meet with some gorgeous guy."

"Please! Ami-chan isn't like you, Minako-chan," Rei declared with a roll of her eyes, failing to see Ami once again burying her face in her program. "She was probably helping somebody with their homework, right, Ami-chan?"

"Oh, she just ran into one of her professors," Makoto answered in a bored tone of voice, for which Ami was grateful. "He had an extra seat, so he invited her to sit with him."

Minako frowned. "That was the big secret? That's so dull, Ami-chan! Wouldn't you have rather stayed here with us?"

"She's lucky she went. She didn't have to go nearly deaf from that stupid horn of yours."

Minako stuck her tongue out at Makoto, then yanked Rei's program out of Ami's hands, startling her. "At least tell me it was that young professor you're working for. I might be able to forgive you for ditching us if it was for him."

"Minako-chan…"

"Aha! So it was him!" she said smugly. "Where are those binoculars of yours? I've got to get a look at this guy." Grabbing Ami's binoculars, which Minako had apparently forgotten she was still wearing around her neck from earlier, the blonde brought them up to her eyes and started scanning the crowds. "Now, where were you sitting?"

Ami sighed, wishing everybody would just let the subject of Professor Kitagawa drop. First Makoto, and now Minako… Still, knowing that Minako wouldn't stop until she got an answer, Ami said in a defeated voice, "The seats were right behind home plate. He's wearing a red polo shirt, jeans, and a Tokyo University baseball cap."

Focusing the binoculars on the spot Ami described, Minako frowned. "I don't see him, Ami-chan. He's not there."

"What?"

Ami, in an uncharacteristic move, yanked the binoculars from Minako's hands, nearly choking the blonde with the strap as she looked through the lens.

"A…mi…chan…can't…breathe…"

But Ami barely heard her, staring in disbelief at the two empty seats in the third row.

Professor Kitagawa was gone.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Akira exited the stadium, which was in full roar as the seventh-inning stretch began, he kicked an empty beer can littering the ground and sighed. He really should have known better than to have invited Ami to come sit with him. What if she decided to sue him for sexual harassment because of that hug? His career would be over.

He would just have to explain to her again that he didn't mean anything by it and hope that Ami understood. That was about all he could do, but it would probably be okay. Ami had been surprised and flustered by the hug, but she was smart enough to realize that he had just been excited by the home run.

Akira shook his head, pushing his thoughts of what had happened to the back of his mind. For the moment, what he really needed to worry about were those sick mice at the lab. Dr. Nakajima had called him with news that whatever disease had infected the first group had apparently spread to a second cage. Catching a bus outside the stadium, he arrived at the Institute of Medical Science, grabbed his lab coat and notes from the office, and headed down to the sub-basement where the research animals were kept.

Dr. Nakajima was speaking to the technician in charge of the care of the animals and Dr. Kamina, who was also working with them on the experiment being performed on the mice. A frowning Akira joined them, not liking what he was hearing in the least.

"So you're saying that it's possible that the mice in Cage 5 of Group C have been in contact with those in Cage 4, the quarantined set?" Akira asked the technician after he had been brought up to date.

"Kamina-sensei wanted the two cages to breed," the technician explained, sounding as if it wasn't the first time he had been asked. He looked positively terrified. "I was only following instructions. It wasn't my fault."

"Nobody is saying it is your fault, Kaji-kun," Dr. Nakajima said, rubbing his forehead. "If Kamina-sensei ordered you to breed them, then you did nothing wrong. I would like Kamina-sensei to give me a straight answer as to why he ordered the breeding, though. That was not part of our experiment."

"Nakajima-sensei, you were the one who wanted data on how the drug would affect developing fetuses," the other researcher reminded him.

"Yes, but there was no need to test during this cycle. We haven't even determined if the drug works yet."

"Time is money. The experiment was going well, so I saw no reason why we shouldn't test the drug on a limited number of pregnant mice. There was already a surplus of subjects for this experiment anyway."

"Yes, a surplus that may turn into a deficit if this disease infects anymore of the cages, Kamina-sensei."

"I've told you, Nakajima-sensei, the preliminary blood work indicates that--"

Sensing the beginning of a major argument, Akira interrupted before things could become more heated between the two older professors. Dr. Nakajima and Dr. Kamina had never been the best of friends, a rivalry going at least as far back as when Akira was still an undergraduate, if not earlier. "Kaji-kun, were cages four and five the only ones assigned for mating?" he asked the lab technician.

Kaji nodded. "As far as I know, cage five is the only group that had contact with the infected mice."

"Then we will destroy cages four and five and continue on with the experiment as planned," he decided. "We'll have a smaller pool of data, but it should be enough. Kaji-kun?"

"I'll get right on it, sensei," Kaji said, bowing to the three of them before heading to the quarantine room to get rid of the mice.

After the technician left, Dr. Kamina also excused himself, leaving Akira and Dr. Nakajima alone in the animal lab. Since he was already there, Akira pulled out a notebook and began taking notes on the mice's physical appearance while Dr. Nakajima stood against the wall, arms folded over his chest as he glared at the door where Dr. Kamina had just exited. The older professor looked remarkably like the little kid he had accused Akira of being earlier that day.

"Honestly, Akira-kun, why I let you talk me into collaborating with that idiot, I'll never know," his mentor said with a shake of his head. "He could have ruined the entire project."

"Maybe so, but even you have to admit that he's one of the best in his field," Akira reminded him with a slight smirk, his hand moving fast across the page as he described the general appearance of the mice in cage three.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry I had to pull you away from the game so you could play referee between us."

"It's fine."

"What was the score when you left?"

"Five to five at the beginning of the seventh inning."

"A tie? Impressive. I didn't think Toudai had it in them to do so well against Meiji," Dr. Nakajima said. "Sorry I had to miss that. You weren't too bored without me there, I hope?"

Having finished with the mice in cage three and deciding that the rest could wait until later, Akira closed the notebook and turned around. "Actually…I had some company," he admitted, hoping he didn't sound as guilty as he felt. The memory of the hug had come back to haunt him.

"Oh? Anybody I know?"

"Mizuno Ami-chan. I ran into her down at the concession stands and invited her to come sit with me."

Dr. Nakajima did not look happy upon hearing that bit of information, his lips pursing together in a straight line across his face. "You invited Mizuno-san to sit with you at the game?"

"It was no big deal," Akira insisted. "I just wanted pay her back for all her hard work over the past couple of weeks, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

His mentor seemed to study him for a moment, his eyes staring at Akira with a strange mixture of concern and worry that he couldn't quite understand, but, before the older man could say anything more, his cell phone rang. As Dr. Nakajima moved to answer it, Akira let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and started refilling one of the cage's water bottles, which he noticed was almost empty.

Logically, he knew he shouldn't feel so guilty about what had happened at the game. It was just a silly hug that had meant absolutely nothing. It wasn't as if he had kissed her or anything like that.

Still…

Dr. Nakajima flipped close his cell, startling Akira from his thoughts. "That was the department head," he said before Akira could ask who was calling. "He wants to go over some things with me before tomorrow's faculty meeting, so I'm going to head over to his office. I'll see you tomorrow, Akira-kun."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

His mentor lingered for a second longer than necessary, again staring at Akira in that peculiar way that made him feel uneasy, before heading to the door.

"Do me a favor, Akira-kun," Dr. Nakajima said after swiping his ID card through the slot that opened the door, causing Akira to look up.

"Yes?"

"Be careful, okay?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the stadium, the game had ended. To the surprise of nearly everybody in attendance, Tokyo University had managed to pull an upset victory over Meiji, earning one more run in the last inning to break the tie. The Toudai fans were still celebrating the win, Minako among them, standing in her chair and blowing her air horn as loudly as she could. Apparently, the so-called "Switzerland" of the group had been cheering for the victors the entire time.

"I knew Toudai would win," Minako shouted over the noise as Makoto and the other girls rolled their eyes and began gathering their things together. Raising her free hand up in the air, she gave her trademark V-for-victory sign. "I knew it the entire time. The underdog always wins in situations like these."

Rei, putting her program in her purse, scoffed. "Please, Minako-chan! If you were so certain that Toudai was going to win, why didn't you join me and Ami-chan?" she asked, causing a faint pink blush to cross the blonde's cheeks.

"That was because… That was because I didn't want to cheer against Asanuma-kun's team."

"Sounds to me more like you just wanted to make sure you could say you cheered for the winning team no matter who won. Now get off that thing before you fall through and have to pay for a new seat."

Minako childishly stuck out her tongue, but finally hopped off her chair. "Hey, why don't we head to Crown?" she suggested once everyone had gathered all their belongings. "I feel like playing some games. It's been a while."

"Games? But I already used up all my money to buy snacks," Usagi said, pouting.

"Don't worry. I'll lend you some money, Usagi-chan." Turning to the others, the aspiring actress put on her best "please, please, please" face. "What about you three? Want to come with us? It'll be just like the good ol' days."

Rei and Ami agreed, but Makoto told them to go ahead without her and she would meet up with them at the arcade later. Knowing that Asanuma had to be bummed about his team losing the game, she wanted to catch up with him before she left. The other girls said goodbye, and once they had left, Makoto headed down to the dugout, hoping she could catch him before he headed to the showers.

"Asanuma-kun!"

She caught him just in the nick of time. Asanuma was one of the last players off the field, talking with a couple of his fellow teammates and a man who appeared to be one of the coaches as they headed back to the dugout. Upon hearing his name, Asanuma looked up, and Makoto blushed as one of the players let out an appreciative whistle.

"Yo, Asanuma, is that hottie your girl? Man, you lucky dog!" the whistler said, patting Asanuma on the back.

Asanuma ignored his remark, running over to the spot below where Makoto stood in the stands. His smile was bright as he took off his cap and waved it at her. "Mako-chan, you made it!"

"Stay down there. I'll be down in a minute," she called down to him, already heading toward the flight of stairs she knew led down to the locker room and dugout.

By the time she made it down to the dugout, the other players and the coach had already left. Makoto ran over to Asanuma and surprised him with a huge hug. He was still sweaty and stinky from the game, but she didn't mind at all, rather liking the masculine odor of his perspiration.

"Hey, what was that for?" he chuckled once she finally pulled away from him.

"You were wonderful out there, Asanuma-kun!" Makoto exclaimed. "I don't think I've seen you play better."

The smile on his face from seeing her abruptly disappeared, turning into a frown. "Yeah, but we still lost, and against Tokyo University of all schools. Sure, we're still number one in the league, but it's kind of embarrassing to lose to a fifth-ranked school."

"That doesn't matter," she insisted, shaking her head. "The team still did well, and you were the star player."

At that, Asanuma bashfully looked down at his cleats. "Mako-chan, don't start giving me a big head! Motosuwa-sempai will be off the injury list soon, and I'll be back to playing benchwarmer."

"Well, even if you are, I'm sure you'll start next year. Didn't you tell me that Motosuwa-san was a senior this year?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high." Looking back up, he seemed surprised that she was the only one there. "So, where is everybody else? Didn't they come?"

Makoto nodded. "They're on their way to Crown at the moment. I told them to go on ahead so I could invite you to come with us. I'm sure they would love to see you again. It's been forever since we've all been able to hang out together."

"I would love to, Mako-chan, but I'm afraid our coach has decided to call an emergency practice in about an hour and a half," he said with a loud sigh. "He only gave us enough time to clean up and get something to eat."

"Oh." Makoto tried to hide her disappointment by smiling. "Well, maybe next time."

"Yeah. Rain check?"

Again, she nodded, just as one of the Meiji players -- the whistler from earlier -- appeared in the doorway of the dugout leading to the locker room. He had obviously just showered, for his dark hair was damp, and he wore nothing but a towel around his waist. Noticing a blushing Makoto staring at him, he flirtatiously winked at her, not embarrassed in the least by his lack of clothing, then turned his attention to Asanuma.

"Hey, Asanuma, forget the chick and get your ass in here. The guys want to go for pizza before practice."

"I'll be there in a minute," Asanuma said, giving Makoto an apologetic shrug. "I guess I better go. Thank you for coming. I really appreciate you and the other girls coming to support me, especially Ami-chan, since we were playing against her school. Tell her I'm sorry about that. When I told you about the game, I forgot that she went to Toudai."

"I will," Makoto promised. "And Asanuma-kun? You really were great out there today."

Asanuma grinned. "Thanks."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Ami and Makoto finally returned home after spending a few hours at the arcade, then going out to a late dinner with the girls, it was almost nine o'clock. The brunette pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, letting them in.

"Boy, what a day," Makoto said, stretching her arms high over her head almost as soon as they walked inside. "I'm exhausted. Mind if I call dibs on the bath? I think I'm going to take a short soak, then head on to bed. I have early class tomorrow."

However, Ami, her thoughts elsewhere, hadn't heard her. In fact, she had been rather distracted all night long. "Hmm?"

"I was asking if you minded if I took my bath first," Makoto repeated with a slight frown.

"Oh, yes, sure, go ahead," Ami replied, slipping into her favorite pair of blue slippers before taking a seat on the couch and pulling out one of her textbooks from the bag she had brought with her to the game. "I wanted to do my last bit of reading before taking my bath anyway."

"Thanks." Makoto started toward the bathroom but turned back around, a concerned look on her face. "Ami-chan, are you feeling okay? You've been really quiet tonight, quieter than usual."

"I'm fine, Mako-chan."

"Are you sure?"

As she turned to the correct page in her history text, Ami resisted the uncharacteristic urge to roll her eyes. She was beginning to get annoyed by all the inquiries into her health, though she knew she had been acting strangely. Each of her friends had asked if she was alright at least once during the night. "Yes, I'm sure. Go take your bath."

"If you say so."

Makoto didn't seem quite convinced, but she let it go, continuing onto the bath as Ami forced herself to concentrate on the words in front of her. Not even reading about the Crusades managed to get her mind off of what had happened, though.

Why was that hug affecting her so much? She didn't understand. Like Professor Kitagawa had said when he apologized, he had just been excited because of the home run. There was nothing more to it than that. It wasn't even all that intimate, more like a hug between friends.

If that was the case, though, why had he left the game almost as soon they had parted ways? Was it embarrassment? Guilt?

And, even more importantly, why did her cheeks feel like they were on fire every time she thought of that brief moment she had been in his arms?

Just when Ami was about to give up studying for the night, she heard the sound of her ringtone coming from her book bag. She dug her cell phone out and brought it to her ear.

"Hello, Mizuno Ami speaking."

"Ami-chan?" the male caller said, causing Ami to sit upright on the couch as she recognized his voice. "It's Professor Kitagawa."

Though she wasn't sure why, her heart began beating faster against her rib cage. "S-Sensei?"

"I bet you're probably wondering why I'm calling you so late," her professor guessed with a chuckle that sounded far too strained to have been natural, as if he was trying to make it seem like a casual phone call. When Ami neither confirmed or denied it, he continued in a more serious voice, "I just wanted to apologize again if I made you fell uncomfortable today at the game. I was way out of line."

"It's okay," Ami said softly into the phone. "I understood. That home run really was amazing. You were just excited.

"Yes, I know, but it was still inappropriate for me to hug you, and I do hope that this doesn't affect our professional relationship in anyway. If you would like to quit, I would understand, of course, but--"

"I have no intention of quitting, Kitagawa-sensei. I love my job, and I enjoy working with you," she interrupted, a bit surprised by the strong conviction in her voice. Until that moment when he suggested she might want to quit, she hadn't realized just how much the job meant to her.

"As do I, Ami-chan," he said warmly, returning the compliment. "I'm glad to hear that. You're the best research assistant I've ever had, and it would be a shame to lose you, especially over such a silly misunderstanding."

Ami felt her cheeks warm, and, even though she was the only one in the room, she sunk down on the couch. "T-Thank you for saying so, sensei."

"I meant every word." On the other end of the line, Ami heard Professor Kitagawa let out what she assumed was a sigh of relief. "So, now that's taken care of…how was the rest of the game?" he asked, surprising Ami with the abrupt change of subject.

"What?"

"I had to leave right after you went to rejoin your friends, so I don't know the final score. Was either team able to break the tie?"

"Actually, Toudai managed another run in the ninth to win the game," she informed him, still a bit confused.

"They won?" Even though it sounded as if the professor had pulled the phone away, Ami could still hear his triumphant "Yesss!" on the other end, causing a small smile to tug on her lips. When he got back on, however, his voice was calm, almost detached-sounding. "That's great. I'm really proud of them. To win a series against first-ranked Meiji is amazing, especially for a fifth-ranked school like Toudai."

Ami couldn't help herself. She started giggling, finally managing to relax. She felt so silly for getting so wound up in the first place.

"What's so funny?" Professor Kitagawa asked, though he didn't sound offended in the least. In fact, Ami suspected he was trying to hold in his own laughter.

"I heard you." Ami then proceeded to do a fairly accurate imitation of his "Yesss!"

"Hey, I warned you that I was a bit of a fanatic…"

"Yes, you did," she said, smiling. The smile turned into a frown, however, when Ami remembered he still hadn't mentioned why he had left the game. "So why did you have to leave the game early?" she asked.

"I had to go play referee between Nakajima-sensei and Kamina-sensei down at the labs. Honestly, those two fight like little kids sometimes."

"Oh. Then you didn't leave because of…"

"Because of what?"

Ami shook her head even though she knew he couldn't see her. She should have known it had been something like that. Again, she felt silly for blowing things out of proportion in her mind. "Nothing. Never mind."

"Well, anyway, I should probably work on my lectures for tomorrow," he said. "I'm really glad that we got things settled between us, Ami-chan."

"Me, too."

"See you tomorrow at the lab?'

"I'll be there," Ami promised.

They said their goodbyes, and Ami ended the call, putting the phone back in her bag. She felt better, having talked to Professor Kitagawa about what had happened, but a part of her still felt confused. Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts away and stood to head to her room, nearly bumping straight into Makoto on the way. The brunette had just come out of the bath, a large, fluffy towel wrapped around her body and wet hair cascading over her bare shoulders.

"Bath's free," her roommate announced unnecessarily. "I left some of that new shampoo I was talking about the other day in there. You really ought to try it. It smells really good."

Ami nodded, though Makoto's words weren't really sinking in. "Thanks, Mako-chan."

There was a brief silence between them, and Ami could tell Makoto wanted to ask her again if something was wrong, but instead, she just moved out of the doorway so Ami could go in. "Well…goodnight, then, I guess."

"Goodnight."

Ami waited until Makoto had gone to her room and closed the door behind her before she entered the bathroom, abandoning her previous plans to go to bed. Maybe what she really needed was a nice, long relaxing soak to get her mind off of things. Inside, she stripped off her clothes and washed herself, using some of the shampoo Makoto had left behind for her to try that made her hair smell like jasmine. She then lowered herself in the still-hot bathwater, moaning softly at the feel of her element against her bare skin.

Sitting back so that her entire body from the neck down was submerged in water, Ami closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, a meditation technique Rei had taught all the girls for the times when the stress of school and battles became too much to bear. It took a few minutes, but, eventually, she felt her body finally begin to relax, and her brain along with it.

 _This was exactly what I needed,_ Ami thought to herself, treading her arms leisurely through the water. She sighed with pleasure, imagining herself in what Rei called her "happy place," a beautiful sandy beach on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

She had been there only once before, when she was a little girl. It was the last family vacation she remembered where her parents had been truly happy and not just putting on a show for her benefit. Thinking back on that time always made Ami feel safe and loved, but, this time, as she imagined herself on the beach, it was not as a happy-go-lucky six-year-old building sandcastles with her parents, but as an full-grown adult, sunbathing in a revealing navy bikini that she would never dare wear anywhere but in the safety of her own imagination.

The Ami who was in the tub vaguely realized she was blushing, but she didn't try to push the image away as somebody began slathering sunscreen over her exposed skin, massaging her muscles as their hands made their way down her back. The Ami in her mind was laying on her stomach, her chin resting on her folded arms, so she couldn't see who the stranger was, but whoever it was had magical hands. She didn't even object when the stranger decided to untie her skimpy bikini top, too caught up in her euphoria to notice or care.

Once the man had finished -- she was almost certain he was a man, for his hands felt larger than a typical woman's -- Ami rolled over on her back so he could start on the other side. She managed to catch a brief look at her dark-haired masseuse, but, because the sun was so bright, she threw an arm over her eyes, shielding them from the blinding light before she could match a name to his face.

The man started with her feet and worked his way up, kneading her calves and thighs with the skill of a master bread-maker. By the time he reached the apex of her legs, the Ami in her mind was practically crying out for more. He surprised her, though, by abruptly stopping and changing position. His new spot, kneeling behind her head, provided enough shadow so Ami no longer had to cover her eyes, but unfortunately, the shadow also obscured his features so she still couldn't tell who he was.

As he had done with her legs, he started with her hands and moved upwards, though he wasn't quite so thorough as he had been previously. It was more of a light rub than a massage, the coolness of the sunscreen lotion being applied by his warm hands sending shivers up Ami's spine. After he had finished with both arms, Ami sat up, making it easier for him to work on her shoulders, and sighed with contentment as he kissed the back of her neck.

He took his time, working out all the knots and kinks that had built up in her muscles, then, after a brief pause to squeeze out more lotion, moving onto her stomach and breasts. Involuntarily, the Ami in the tub began copying his movements on her own body, her legs spreading apart as the Ami in her mind rather boldly took one of the man's hands and guided it downwards.

Soon, both Amis' breaths were short and shallow, and the Ami in the tub let out a loud moan as she reached her release. The moan of her counterpart, however, had been interrupted by the man covering her lips with his as she craned her neck to finally see his face.

A very familiar face.

Gasping when she realized who it was, the Ami in the tub opened her eyes in shock and yanked her hand out from between her legs. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she stared at the offending hand in disbelief of what she had just done.

It couldn't have been him. There was no possible way she could have been fantasizing about…about…

But there was no mistake.

The man in her fantasy was Professor Kitagawa Akira.


	5. Chapter 5

Ami had been dreading going to the lab since the moment she woke up the following Monday morning. Having to sit through his class that morning was bad enough, but the thought of being alone with Professor Kitagawa after what she had done the night before made her feel uncomfortably hot. She tried not to think about it if she could help it, throwing herself into the rest of her classes with even more passion than usual, but, upon arriving at the Institute of Medical Science at her usual time, she knew she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer.

After flashing her I.D. badge to the man on duty at the front desk, Ami headed to the first floor women's restroom, instead of the elevators as she normally did when she arrived. Her face was hot again, so, turning on the cold tap, she splashed some water on it in an attempt to cool down. It did help a little, but, when she finally looked up at her reflection in the mirror, patting her face dry with her handkerchief, Ami frowned when she saw her cheeks was still quite pink.

"This is ridiculous, Ami," she said to her reflection once she checked to make sure she was the only one in there. "I'm sure you're not the only one of sensei's students who has ever fantasized about him like that. How many times have you heard Miura-san and her group giggling about how cute he is as they leave the classroom? It's practically an everyday occurrence."

Her attempt at a rationalization did little to console her. In fact, the thought of other girls doing what she had done in the bathtub while fantasizing about the professor made Ami feel a small prickle of unfamiliar jealousy at the back of her mind before she shook her head and reminded herself that she had no right to feel that way. After all, she wasn't his girlfriend, and never would be.

What in the world was wrong with her? Had Minako's frequent teasings about her so-called "crush" on Professor Kitagawa finally worn her down so much that she actually believed it was true? Or had the feelings been there all along, just waiting to emerge with the right catalyst?

Ami shook her head again to erase the thoughts from her head, and then took a deep breath to calm herself. A glance down at her watch showed it was 4:55. She needed to go up to the lab if she didn't want to be late. With one more glance in the mirror, Ami shifted the weight of the book bag on her shoulder before leaving the restroom and heading to the elevator.

When she entered the small office/storeroom, she was surprised, but a bit relieved, to discover that Professor Kitagawa had not yet arrived. Ami set her bag down on the counter where she usually kept her things and started washing her hands at the nearby sink.

As she was putting on her lab coat, the door to the office opened and a rather harried-looking Professor Kitagawa stepped inside. "Sorry I'm late," he apologized, placing his briefcase down at his desk and shrugging out of his blazer to change into his lab coat. "Department meeting went long today, which certainly wasn't helped by Nakajima-sensei and Kamina-sensei getting into it again over those damn mice. I hope you weren't waiting long."

Ami, who could feel her face becoming hot again, looked down at the floor and shook her head. "Only a few minutes," she managed to say.

"Good." After washing his hands, the professor handed Ami the instructions for that day's experiment and smiled. "Shall we get to work then?" he asked, his voice somehow cheerful even though Ami could hear a slight crack betraying the awkwardness that was almost tangible between them after what had happened at the game.

With a nod, she silently followed him into the lab and started setting up for the day's experiment.

Though Professor Kitagawa tried his best to pretend that things were back to normal between them, that yesterday never happened, Ami had a difficult time concentrating on the experiment. Every time she caught him looking at her or their arms accidentally brushed against each other, it felt as if her entire face was on fire. After a while, when he seemed to realize that his attempt at normalcy wasn't working, the professor gave up trying to engage her in their usual conversation, only speaking to give instructions or read out results. The silence made the sound of an empty test tube from Ami's hand crashing to the floor especially startling, causing the both of them to jump in surprise.

"Sorry," Ami mumbled, bending down to carefully pick up the larger pieces of shattered glass. "I'll clean it up."

The professor nodded and brought over the small wastebasket beside his desk for her to use to throw the glass away. He then kneeled down beside her with a small broom and dustpan and started sweeping the smaller pieces.

"N-No, it was my fault," she objected. "I wasn't paying attention. I should clean up."

"I don't mind…"

"Please."

The professor reluctantly stopped and handed the broom and dustpan over to Ami, though he didn't stand back up. Instead, he stared at her as she resumed the sweeping, her eyes cast to the ground.

"Ami-chan, are you still freaked out about the hug yesterday?" he finally asked, his voice soft. "Because if you are uncomfortable working with me, maybe it would be best if we parted ways. If you still want to work here, I can talk to Nakajima-sensei, and I'm sure he would be happy to take you on as his assistant…"

Ami shook her head. "It's not you, sensei," she assured him, dumping the final bit of the glass into the wastebasket. "It's me."

"Hey, are you breaking up with me?"

He chuckled at his weak joke, and Ami managed a small smile. "I'm fine, really," she said, forcing herself to look up at her teacher. "It's not the hug. You've already apologized for that. I guess it's just one of those days."

"Your face is red," he pointed out.

"Oh, it is?" She brought a hand to her cheek, finding it was indeed warm again.

"I think you may have a fever, Ami-chan. Here, let me check." He placed a cool hand on her forehead, the other on his own to compare, and frowned. "You do feel a little warm."

Startled by his touch, Ami quickly rose to her feet and shook her head. "I'm fine," she insisted again, though she was beginning to feel a little dizzy from standing up so fast. Closing her eyes, she rested her hands on the lab table until the world stopped spinning around her.

"You don't look fine, Ami-chan. Perhaps it would be best if we wrapped things up here and I sent you home," he said, also standing back up.

"B-But the experiment…"

"It can wait. The important thing is your health. Go home, Ami-chan. I can handle things here."

Ami opened her mouth to protest, but realized there was no point in arguing. As much as she hated to admit it, her medical instincts told her she probably was coming down with something.

"Are you sure it's okay if I leave?" she asked instead.

"I insist," he said. "In fact, why don't I take you home myself? I don't like the idea of you walking home in your condition, especially when it's raining like this." Some time while they were working, a small storm had begun outside.

"N-No, I don't want to impose. I can call my mother to come pick me up. Today's her day off."

The professor nodded. "Okay, I'll see you when you get better, then. Get well soon."

Ami headed back to the office and changed out of lab coat, placing it back in the closet. She then pulled her cell phone out of her bag and dialed her mother's number, her voice small as she said:

"Mama, can you pick me up?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Makoto was busy preparing a batch of miso soup in the kitchen when she heard the door to the apartment open, earlier than she expected. Ami usually didn't finish at the lab until seven at the absolute earliest. However, instead of the usual "I'm home!" that followed whenever Ami arrived home, there were two voices coming from the living room, one which she couldn't quite recognize, though it sounded familiar. Leaving the soup to boil, she came out to find Ami laying on the couch, her mother throwing an afghan over her.

"Okaa-san, please don't make such a fuss," Ami was saying as Dr. Mizuno tried to tuck the blanket around her as if she was a child. "It's just a little fever. I'll be fine after some rest."

The doctor ignored her daughter's protests, digging through her bag and pulling out a thermometer. "Nonsense. You can never be too careful when a fever is involved." After shaking the thermometer a couple of times, she handed it over to Ami. "Here, put this under your tongue."

Makoto, who remained standing in the entrance, seemingly unnoticed by her roommate or her mother, finally spoke up. "Mizuno-sensei, what's going on? Is Ami-chan sick?"

"Oh, Kino-san, I didn't see you there," the doctor said, briefly looking in Makoto's direction before sitting down on the edge of the couch and placing a hand on her daughter's forehead even though she was already taking Ami's temperature with the thermometer. "Ami called me from the laboratory to come pick her up. Her boss sent her home early because she was feeling feverish."

"I'm okay, Mako-chan," Ami mumbled, her words difficult to make out with a thermometer in her mouth.

"Don't talk while you're taking your temperature, Ami. You should know better than that," Dr. Mizuno scolded. After a few more seconds, she took the thermometer back and sighed. "Thirty-nine degrees. I suspected as much."

"Is there anything I can do?" Makoto offered, feeling useless just standing around.

"Some soup for Ami would be nice, if you happen to have a can on hand."

"Actually, I was just finishing up some miso soup for our dinner. I'll go get a bowl. Would you like anything, Mizuno-sensei? Tea? Coffee? There's plenty of soup…"

"No, I'm fine, Kino-san. Thank you."

In the kitchen, Makoto poured some of the hot soup into a covered bowl and set it down on a breakfast tray, along with a couple of packs of pre-packaged crackers she had swiped from the restaurant and a glass of water. When she came back out, Ami was taking some medicine her mother gave her.

"-- sure you don't want me to stay, Ami?" her mother asked while Ami swallowed her pills down with some bottled water that Dr. Mizuno must have given her. "I don't mind at all."

"Thank you, but you should go home and get some rest," Ami replied. "I'm sorry I bothered you on your day off."

"You're never a bother, sweetheart." Brushing the hair off her daughter's face, she kissed Ami on the forehead, then stood, turning around to face Makoto, who had not wanted to disturb the moment between mother and daughter. "Kino-san, make sure she gets plenty of rest and drinks a lot of fluids," she said. "If her fever reaches over forty degrees or she starts experiencing any other symptoms, I want you to call me. I'll be back tomorrow night after my shift to check on her."

"I'll take good care of her, Mizuno-sensei," Makoto promised.

"Thank you." After putting her things away in her bag, Dr. Mizuno turned back toward Ami. "As for you, young lady, don't even think of going to school tomorrow. Doctor's orders."

Though Makoto expected Ami to protest, knowing how much her roommate hated missing classes, all she did was nod her head in acceptance. "Yes, okaa-san."

"I'll see you two tomorrow, then. Good night."

"Good night," Makoto and Ami both said in unison.

Once her mother had left, Ami sat back up on the couch, tossing the blanket aside, and Makoto set the tray over her lap. Ami managed a couple of spoonfuls, but then set her spoon down, motioning for Makoto to take it away.

"Do you not like it?" Makoto asked, unaccustomed to anybody not finishing one of her dishes. "Is it too hot?"

"No, it's delicious!" Ami quickly assured her. "I'm just not very hungry at the moment."

"Oh. Okay, I'll just set it aside for later."

Makoto picked up the tray and placed it on the nearby coffee table. She then took a seat in the armchair, watching with concern as Ami groaned, rolled over on her side, and pulled the blanket back over her. In all the years she had known Ami, this was the first time she could recall her roommate being so ill.

"Mako-chan, stop staring at me like that," Ami chided with a small smile when she caught Makoto looking at her. "I'm not dying. Okaa-san just thinks it a little flu bug. In fact, you probably should stay away from me. There's no reason for you to get sick too."

"I'll be fine," Makoto replied, shaking her head. "I've always had a pretty strong immune system."

"Still, you don't have to be my nursemaid. I'll be… I'll be o--"

"Ami?"

Ami threw off the afghan, and, holding her hands to her stomach, ran to the bathroom.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami failed to show up for their Tuesday afternoon lab session, though her absence did not come as much of a surprise to Akira. Being the responsible student she was, she had emailed all her professors to inform them she had a bad case of the flu -- a diagnosis confirmed by her doctor mother -- and would not be attending any of her classes until next Monday at the earliest.

During his walk home from the lab that evening, Akira debated whether or not it would be appropriate to call Ami to see how she was feeling. On one hand, he had been the one to first notice her illness, and he was concerned about her, but, if he called her, he feared she might read something into it that wasn't there. Despite her insistence to the contrary, he suspected her behavior the previous afternoon had more to do with the awkwardness of the situation between them than her health.

Sighing, he entered his apartment and was greeted by an eager Mercury. Since Akira had stayed at the lab later than usual, the day's experiments taking longer without Ami's assistance, Matsuno had already come by to take Mercury for his evening walk. That meant the Corgi was most likely hungry.

"Okay, in a minute, in a minute," Akira laughed, slipping off his jacket and tossing it over the back of the couch.

Mercury barked in understanding and ran into the kitchen, followed shortly by Akira, who grabbed a can of dog food from the cabinet and opened it. While the dog happily munched on the dinner of turkey and gravy in his food bowl, Akira looked in his refrigerator and made a face at the lack of selection for his own dinner. "How pathetic. The dog eats better than I do," he dryly chuckled.

For a moment, his mind flashed back to the day when Ami made him that delicious lunch, and his stomach growled in memory. Akira closed the refrigerator door, having found nothing worth eating, and decided to order a pizza.

While he waited for the pizza to be delivered, Akira checked his email and sent a brief message to Ami inquiring about her health and telling her she didn't need to worry about their lab sessions. Email seemed like the safest choice considering the situation: impersonal, yet concerned. He reread it three times to make sure nothing could be misconstrued as inappropriate, then hit the "Send" button.

By that time, the pizza had arrived. Sitting down at the small kitchen table, Akira pulled a slice of cheesy goodness from the box and thought about what he would do with Ami out for the rest of the week, if not longer. He had managed to get by on his own for a day, but the rest of the experiments he had lined up for the week really required more than one person to be performed correctly, and he didn't want to put them off.

He needed to find a temporary replacement for Ami, but it would not be easy to find someone on such short notice, especially someone with Ami's experience. Most of the pharmacy and chemistry grad students were busy with their own work and projects or had already been hired by the other professors as assistants. Akira wondered if Dr. Nakajima might be willing to spare one of his for a few days, but, remembering that he was in the middle of preparing an important presentation for a genetics conference he was going to next month, he quickly rejected that idea.

That really only left him with one choice. In addition to Ami, there had been one other person to apply for the position when he originally offered it, though a couple of days too late. He didn't know how experienced Yokoyama Yui was in a laboratory, but her grades did compare very favorably to Ami's. If she was even vaguely familiar with laboratory procedure, she would probably make a decent enough replacement.

After finishing his second slice of pizza, Akira put the rest away in the fridge to be eaten later, then headed back to the living room, where he logged onto his computer and pulled up the database he had made with all his students' contact information. He wrote down her phone number on a Post-It note and reached for the phone to dial the number.

The phone rang a total of ten times before he gave up, sighing as he placed the receiver back in its cradle. He really needed to get a hold of Miss Yokoyama that night if he wanted to have an assistant by tomorrow.

Just then, Mercury came out of the kitchen and jumped up on the couch with a chewed-up tennis ball in his mouth. Laughing, Akira was about to take the ball away from him when he remembered something.

Miss Yokoyama was dating his dog-walker Matsuno Hideki, which meant if she wasn't at home, then it was possible she was at his apartment just a few feet away. Even if she wasn't, though, perhaps Matsuno knew where he could find her or would be willing to give him her cell phone number. After giving Mercury a pet of thanks on the head for reminding him of that fact, Akira headed to his neighbor's apartment and hoped his hunch was right.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a very good day for Yui.

For the first time since they started attending Tokyo University, Mizuno Ami had not shown up for the two classes they shared on Tuesdays, world history and nutrition. Rumor had it that Little Miss Perfect had the flu and would be out for the rest of the week, if not longer, which gave Yui the perfect opportunity to reclaim her "star pupil" title, instead of having to compete with the girl genius for their teachers' attention. Of course, once Miss Mizuno recovered from her illness and caught up with all the work she had missed while she was sick, things were bound to return back to normal, but Yui fully intended to make the most of the situation while she could.

That was why the moment she arrived at Hideki's place for another one of their study dates, she went straight to work on her reading for tomorrow's classes, determined to remember every single obscure fact she could about the circulatory system.

"I thought you told me that Mizuno-san was out sick for the week," Hideki said, sighing as he plopped down beside Yui on the couch. "Doesn't that mean you can afford to slack off for a few days?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Yui scolded, not even looking up from her textbook to look at him. "This is my chance to reclaim some of my former glory. I'm not going to blow it by being lazy about my studies just because Mizuno-san has the flu. If anything, I've got to work harder."

"But why? You know nobody else can touch you when it comes to grades. I bet even if you didn't study at all, you would still get top marks."

Turning the page, Yui shot Hideki a dirty look out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't believe he would even say such a thing. Honestly, did he know her at all? "I'm not going to settle for adequate, Hideki. Now, shut up so I can concentrate."

"Fine, fine."

Reaching for one of his own books, Hideki flipped through the pages a bit more forcibly than usual before finally stopping on the correct chapter and starting to read. Yui sensed he was angry, but she ignored his little temper tantrum in favor of studying a diagram showing the different parts of the heart. She would make it up to him later, after she finished all her work for the night. There was no way Hideki was going to manipulate her into one of his so-called "study breaks" tonight.

So intent was she on studying that Yui barely heard the knock on the door or noticed when Hideki got up to answer it.

"Hey, Yui," Hideki said after a short conversation with whoever it was at the door, "someone's here to talk to you."

Annoyed by the unwelcome interruption, Yui huffed loudly, blowing a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail out of her face. "Hideki, I told you to be quiet. I'm trying to study."

"I know, but I think you really want to talk to Kitagawa-sensei. He says he wants to ask you something."

"Sensei?"

Yui immediately shut her book and jumped up from the couch, confused. What in the world was her chemistry professor doing at her boyfriend's apartment, looking for her?

"Sorry, Yokoyama-san. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Professor Kitagawa said as he entered the apartment and slipped off his shoes. "I called your dorm room first, but nobody answered, so I thought I might catch you here. This won't take long, I assure you."

"It's fine," Yui assured him sweetly, sitting back down as the professor took a seat in Hideki's ratty armchair. "We were just studying."

Coming up behind the couch, Hideki muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Sure, she doesn't bite _his_ head off," then asked in a louder voice, "Would you like anything to drink, Kitagawa-sensei?"

The professor shook his head. "No, thank you, Matsuno-kun. I really don't intend to stay long. As I told you at the door, I just wanted to ask Yokoyama-san a favor."

"A favor?" she asked, surprised.

"Yokoyama-san, near the beginning of the semester, you expressed an interest in becoming my new lab assistant, but I couldn't hire you at the time because the position had already been filled by Mizuno Ami-san," he unnecessarily reminded her.

"When was this?" Hideki asked, looking down at Yui. "I don't remember you mentioning anything like that to me, Yui."

"I didn't get the job, so I didn't see much of a point in telling you about it," Yui explained with a shrug before turning her attention once again to the professor. "Kitagawa-sensei, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, as you probably know, Mizuno-san has fallen ill," Professor Kitagawa said. "She's not expected back at school until next week at the earliest, but, unfortunately, she chose a bad time to get sick. We are in the middle of an important series of experiments, and I would prefer not to get behind schedule if at all possible."

Starting to see to what he was leading, Yui nodded in understanding. "So you are looking for a replacement to take Mizuno-san's place."

"Exactly. Would you be willing to take the job, Yokoyama-san? It would only be for a few days, until Mizuno-san is back on her feet, and, of course, you would be paid for your trouble."

Yui tried her best not to look overly eager, pretending to think it over though she knew her answer the moment he had asked. Could her day get any better? Not only was Little Miss Perfect out sick for the week, she was being offered the very job that Miss Mizuno had effectively stolen from her. It didn't even matter to Yui if it was only a temporary position. Perhaps if she played her cards right, it might even turn into something a little more permanent.

"It would be an honor to work with you, Kitagawa-sensei," Yui finally answered when an adequate amount of time had passed.

"You're taking the job?" Hideki asked. "But what about your stu--?"

A glare from Yui, which Professor Kitagawa didn't appear to notice, shut Hideki up.

"Great," the professor said, standing from his chair. "Come by my academic office tomorrow morning before your first class. I'll have a temporary ID card waiting for you, and, if there's time, I'll fill you in on what I expect of you. Sessions will start around five, but they shouldn't last longer than seven or eight at the latest, so you should have plenty of time to study. Also, I'd like to hold some weekend sessions if you have the time."

"That sounds fine, sensei. I'll see you tomorrow then," Yui said, showing him to the door.

"Goodbye, and thank you. I really appreciate it."

With that, Professor Kitagawa headed back to his own apartment, Yui closing the door behind him and unable to hide the pleased smile on her lips. When she turned back around, Hideki had his arms folded over his chest and wore a look that was usually more at home on her face than his.

"What the heck was that all about?" he demanded to know. "Just an hour ago, you were telling me that nothing was more important than your studies, and now you've accepted a job working with Kitagawa-sensei in his lab?"

"It's just for a few days," Yui replied airily, coming over and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Besides, it'll look good on my med school application."

"Yeah, but--"

Yui shook her head, bringing one of her fingers to his lips. She already knew what he was going to say, and she didn't want to hear it.

"Don't spoil this for me, Hideki. I know it'll mean less time for us, but it's only temporary. Until then, what do you say we make the most of tonight? I feel like celebrating."

"Celebrating?"

Smiling her most seductive smile, Yui took Hideki's hand and led him to the bedroom, for once, not caring the least about her unfinished homework still sitting on the coffee table.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In his office at the lab, Akira sat at his computer, typing in the results of the day's experiments. Normally, that would be the job of his lab assistant, but, since he felt bad for asking Miss Yokoyama to come in for an extra Sunday session, he had offered to do it himself, insisting that she leave early and go see her boyfriend, who Akira knew must be missing her.

Miss Yokoyama, as he had hoped, had been more than competent in the laboratory, almost as good as Ami. Still, Akira had to admit he would be glad when the blue-haired girl came back to work. He had missed her. Even if her replacement had proved to be equal to the task, he found that Miss Yokoyama lacked a certain…passion, for lack of a better term, that Ami seemed to possess in spades.

Akira had just finished printing out a copy of a report Dr. Nakajima was asking for when he heard a knock on the door and the professor himself popped his head inside.

"Oh, good, you're still here," the older professor said, entering the room when Akira waved him in. "I thought I might have missed you. Do you have that report for me?"

Akira handed the report over and nodded. "Everything is looking well so far," he said as Dr. Nakajima flipped through the papers. "No more reports of illness in the mice since we got rid of the infected groups."

"What about side effects to the medication?"

"Very minor. Barely worth mentioning, but everything is recorded on page five of the report."

"Good, good." Dr. Nakajima tucked the file folder under his arm. "So, how about discussing this report over a cup of coffee?" he suggested. "My treat."

Akira looked down at his watch, frowning when he saw that it was about eight-thirty. "This late at in the evening?"

"You can get decaf if you want, but I could use a good jolt. I want to finish that presentation I'm giving on embryonic stem cells for next month's JGEA conference tonight, so I can use any help I can get."

As Akira didn't have any other plans for the night, other than heating up the rest of the leftover pizza in his fridge and watching the Giants/Swallows game he had recorded the previous night, he agreed to the coffee, the two of them heading to the popular coffeehouse on campus. Despite the late hour, the place was as packed as always with students getting their caffeine fix, most likely in order to stay up late to study. Akira remembered well all the late nights he had pulled during his undergraduate years.

They placed their order at the counter, then sat down at the only empty table in the room, which had been recently vacated by a young couple looking for somewhere more private, judging by how they could barely keep their hands off each other as they left the coffeehouse. While Dr. Nakajima was spreading out the papers as best he could over the small, round table, a waitress came by with their drinks, a decaf coffee for Akira and a cappuccino for Dr. Nakajima, who had also ordered two large donuts covered with chocolate icing and sprinkles.

"Don't say anything, Akira-kun," his mentor warned before Akira even had a chance to lecture him. "I've been a good little dieter this week, so I deserve a treat."

"I don't know why I even bother anymore, quite frankly," Akira said with a roll of his eyes, reaching for a couple of sugar packets from the bowl at the center of the table. "You never listen to me anyway."

"The boy finally catches on." Picking up one of the printouts, Dr. Nakajima began casually looking over the results. "So, how's the temp working out?" he asked.

"Yokoyama-san? She's…fine," he said, tearing the packets and dumping the sugar into his coffee. "Very professional and more than capable."

"It was lucky you were able to find a replacement for Mizuno-san on such short notice."

"Yokoyama-san was the only other person who applied for the position when I was looking for a new assistant to replace Jiro-kun. Besides, her boyfriend lives in my building, so it wasn't difficult to get a hold of her and convince her to fill in for Ami-chan for a few days."

"Do you plan to hire her full-time even after Mizuno-san returns?"

Akira arched an eyebrow at his former professor while stirring his coffee, wondering what in the world was behind Dr. Nakajima's sudden interest in Yokoyama Yui. As far as he knew, the two had never even met.

"Nakajima-sensei, what's with all these questions about Yokoyama-san?" he asked suspiciously, ignoring the question.

"No reason. I just thought it might be a good idea for you to hire another assistant, that's all," Dr. Nakajima said with a shrug, flipping back a page in one of the reports. He seemed to be avoiding looking Akira in the eye.

"Another assistant? Why? Ami-chan and I get along just fine on our own."

"Be that as it may, it couldn't hurt to have another pair of hands around, especially for occasions such as this one, with Mizuno-san out sick for a significant period of time."

"Ami-chan isn't prone to falling ill, Nakajima-sensei. I've looked over her attendance records, and this is the first time since she started attending Toudai that she has missed classes. I have no reason to believe this will be more than a one-time thing."

With a loud sigh, Dr. Nakajima put down the report. "Fine, if you must know the truth," he said, "I didn't ask you here to talk about the report. I wanted to discuss my concerns about you and Mizuno-san continuing to work together, alone."

"Concerns? I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The game, Akira-kun, the game."

Akira nearly choked on his coffee when he realized what Dr. Nakajima was insinuating. "You think just because I invited Ami-chan to take your seat that there's something going on between us?" he asked in disbelief. "Come on, I told you I just happened to run into her at the game. We weren't having some kind of clandestine meeting, if that's what you're thinking."

"But it wasn't totally innocent, was it? The two of you shared a hug during the sixth inning."

"How do you know about that?" Akira didn't remember telling Dr. Nakajima that part when he told him about the game.

"You were in a public place. Did you really believe nobody had seen you?"

"No, I suppose not," he admitted, taking a sip of his coffee before continuing. "Still, the hug was perfectly harmless. There was nothing sexual or romantic about it. We were just excited about Tanima's home run, that's all."

"Well, for both your sakes, I hope that's true…"

Something in his voice caused Akira to set down his mug and frown. "Nakajima-sensei?"

The graying man across from him sighed. "Akira-kun, I'm going to give you some advice," Dr. Nakajima said, slightly leaning over the table. His voice had dropped a decibel in volume, and instinctively, Akira moved in closer to hear. "If you do happen to have romantic feelings toward this girl -- and I'm not saying you do -- you must fight them. No good can come from such a relationship; this I know from personal experience."

"You mean…?"

Dr. Nakajima nodded. "Yes, it's not something I'm proud to admit, but many years ago, I engaged in an affair with one of my female students."

Akira's eyes widened. "You?" he asked, shaking his head. "Impossible."

"I, too, am human, Akira-kun, vulnerable to the same weaknesses and desires as any other man. Don't think of me as infallible."

"N-No, it's not that," Akira said, still trying to wrap his mind around Dr. Nakajima's revelation. Another reason, one that Akira had long suspected about his teacher but never had confirmed, made his admission difficult to believe. "It's just that back when I was in school, popular rumor hinted that you might be --"

"-- gay?" he interrupted, chuckling. "No, no, no. I'm as heterosexual as you are, Akira-kun, though I can certainly understand why people would assume that. I've never been married, and I tend to keep my private life just that -- private."

"Then why are you telling me this?" Akira asked. "This affair of yours is really none of my business."

"Because I don't want you to put your future here at the university in jeopardy. I managed to keep my indiscretion under wraps, but it is risky business dating one of your students."

"Well, you don't need to worry about me, Nakajima-sensei. I have absolutely no intention of becoming involved with one of my students, neither now nor in the future."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it."

Dr. Nakajima smiled, and Akira sat back in his chair, letting what he had just learned sink in. Despite himself, he had to admit he was more than a little curious about what had happened between Dr. Nakajima and the mystery student. For all Akira knew, she could have been one of his peers. He tried to remember if his former professor had paid special attention to any of his female classmates, but he didn't recall anyone specific.

"So…who was she?" Akira asked, his curiosity finally getting the better of him. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking. Was she anybody I knew?"

"I doubt it. It happened a good ten to fifteen years before I taught you."

"What happened?"

"Oh, there's really not much to tell," he admitted, wiping away the sprinkles on his lips with a napkin. "She was a student in my genetics class, the only girl in a classroom of thirty, and really quite brilliant, I must say. I suppose I was drawn to her because it was so unusual at that time for a girl to be interested in my field."

"Was she pretty?"

He nodded. "Very, though our relationship was more than physical attraction," he was quick to make clear. "Anyway, we quietly began seeing each other, but even from the start, I knew it was doomed to fail. Not only were we under enormous stress trying to keep our relationship a secret, but there was quite a large age difference between us. As much as we cared about each other and enjoyed each other's company, there are some things that are simply too difficult to overcome. We amicably parted ways a few months later, and the last I heard, she had gotten a divorce from the man she had married during medical school and was raising her daughter as a single parent."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he sighed. "Looking back, I realize she was probably just a fling, a way of dealing with my mid-life crisis. I have to admit, it felt good having a beautiful, intelligent girl like that tell me how handsome and brilliant I was, and all the sneaking around we did to be together made me feel in some ways like a teenager again." Dr. Nakajima chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Pretty pathetic, huh?"

"No…no… Well, maybe a little," Akira admitted.

His mentor laughed, not offended at all by his honesty. "That's what I like about you, Akira-kun. You're never afraid to tell it exactly as it is."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami never thought the day would come when she would ever get tired of reading, but she was. It felt like sleeping and reading was all she had done for the past six days. She couldn't wait to get back to her classes, even if it did mean seeing Professor Kitagawa again.

The good thing about her illness was that it put some much-needed space between her and what had happened at the game and afterwards. Ami no longer felt as embarrassed as she had the previous Monday in the lab, though sometimes she still felt the occasional warm blush on her cheeks when she thought of her chemistry professor, which she explained away as her fever flaring up again. Even if she did have a crush on her teacher, was it really that bad? It wasn't as if she intended to do anything about it. She would simply have to try her best to keep things on a professional level -- no more homemade lunches or accepting vacant seats at baseball games. Ami was sure she could handle it, now that she was more prepared to face things.

With a loud yawn, she closed the book she had finished reading and took off her glasses, setting both items on the nightstand beside her bed. She had just settled underneath the blankets to go to sleep when she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," Ami called, reluctantly sitting back up.

"Your mother's here for your check-up, Ami-chan," Makoto announced, the door opening to reveal the figures of the tall brunette and an older, blue-haired woman.

Her mother swept past Makoto and took a seat on the edge of Ami's mattress. "How are you feeling, honey?" she asked, opening her doctor's bag and pulling out a thermometer.

"A little tired, but, other than that, much better," Ami answered. "I should be able to go back to school tomorrow."

Her mother smiled. "Well, as your doctor, let me be in charge of deciding that. Now, put this in your mouth."

Accustomed to the routine after having gone through it every night since she fell ill, Ami placed the thermometer under her tongue and held it there for about a minute. She then handed it back to her mother, who read the temperature but didn't say anything about it. After that, her mother pulled out her stethoscope, warming the cool metal with her breath before checking Ami's heartbeat and breathing.

"So, can I go back to classes tomorrow?" Ami asked as her mother put her things back in the bag.

"You do seem just about recovered, but, to be sure, I think it's best to stay home at least one more day."

Ami's shoulders slumped. That had not been the answer she had hoped to hear. "Another day?"

"I know how much you want to go back to school, sweetheart, but you need to build some of your strength back up. That was a nasty flu bug you had. You look exhausted, and Kino-san told me you haven't eaten much."

"That was because I couldn't hold anything down the first couple of days, and I haven't regained my appetite yet."

"I'd still feel better if you tried to eat something," her mother said, frowning. "Kino-san?"

Makoto, who had stood silently at the door in case they needed anything, stepped forward. "Yes, Mizuno-sensei?"

"Would you mind fixing Ami a late supper? It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Some sandwiches would be just fine. She should be able to handle eating solids again."

"Sure. I'll be back in a minute," Makoto said, heading back to the kitchen.

After she had left, her mother pulled out a small stack of what appeared to be magazines, but, on closer inspection, were revealed to be some medical journals. "Here, I thought you might enjoy these," she said, placing the stack on nightstand, on top of the book Ami had been reading beforehand and underneath her glasses. "They're a few months old, but I'm sure you'll still find some of the articles interesting. I marked the ones I thought you might like to check out."

Though Ami didn't think she would be up to any more reading any time soon, she still smiled in gratitude, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "Thanks, okaa-san."

"In fact, I believe one of them was co-written by that professor you work for. Kitagawa Akira-sensei? That was his name, wasn't it?"

"Sensei?"

Reaching for the journal sitting on the top of the stack, her mother flipped through the pages of _Pharmaceuticals Today_ until she found the page marked by a blue Post-It. "' Genetic Variation in the Gene Encoding Adiponectin Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in the Japanese Population,' by Nakajima Ryo-sensei, Kitagawa Akira-sensei, Kamina Ichiro-sensei, Naegino Kentaro-sensei, and Kumada Naoko-sensei," she read aloud, her eyes seeming to linger for a moment on one of the pictures accompanying the article before handing the journal over to Ami. "I can see why you admire him so much. He appears to be as brilliant as you claim."

_Ami felt her cheeks again grow hot, but she managed to hide her reaction to the professor's name from her mother by hiding her face behind the journal. Without her reading glasses, it was difficult to make out the tiny, printed words of the article without giving herself a headache in the process, so she instead stared at the pictures underneath the by-line of the five people who had contributed to the paper._

_Two of the co-authors she did not recognize at all, while she had only met Professor Kamina a handful of times at the lab. However, she knew Professor Nakajima quite well. His picture was right beside Professor Kitagawa's, which Ami couldn't stop staring at despite the hotness of her face. Thankfully, Makoto soon returned with the sandwiches she had made, breaking Ami from the spell the professor's picture had put on her._

_"I hope ham and cheese is okay," her roommate said as Ami put the medical journal back with the others. "I didn't have time to go to the store this weekend, so this was all we had."_

_"It's fine," Ami assured her, taking the plate she offered. Though she still wasn't very hungry, she bit into one of the triangular-cut sandwiches to satisfy her mother and Makoto, who were both watching her as if she was a jack-in-the-box ready to pop. "Delicious."_

_"That's my good girl." Standing, her mother gave Ami a kiss on the forehead. "Now, you take it easy for one more day, you hear me? School can wait until Tuesday."_

_"Yes, okaa-san."_

_With those final orders, Dr. Mizuno and Makoto said goodbye and left the room, leaving Ami to reach again for her glasses and peruse the medical journal with Professor Kitagawa's article at her leisure._

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Akira set down his eraser after cleaning the dry erase board and took off his reading classes, placing them back in their case. Classes were finally over for the day, and, starving, he looked forward to grabbing some take-out from the Chinese place near campus he enjoyed so much before it was time to head for the labs. Grabbing his sport coat off the back of his desk chair, Akira pushed his arms through the sleeves and was about to leave when he heard a timid knock on the door._

_"Come in, the door's open," he called, figuring it was probably just some student from his last class coming to pick up the notebook he had found sitting on one of the desks, left behind by its owner in the rush to leave and start the weekend. As the door slowly slid open, Akira reached for said notebook and held it up, his back mostly turned away from whoever was entering the classroom as he searched for his keys in the top desk drawer. "Looking for th--?"_

_His question stopped short, and Akira dropped his located keys in surprise when he turned around and saw who it was. Standing in the doorway was Mizuno Ami, but for some reason he was unaware of, she was dressed in a summer school uniform, similar in style and color to the one his female classmates had worn at his old middle school._

_Akira, despite his valiant attempts otherwise, couldn't stop staring at her long, slender legs, which were on prominent display thanks to the very short pleated skirt of the uniform and sexy thigh-high black socks. Shaking his head, he forced his eyes to move upward, only to notice how snug the top fit across her bust. It certainly didn't help matters that the first two buttons were left unbuttoned -- or had they popped open? -- showing off more than a hint of cleavage._

_"A-Ami-chan?" he stuttered, at last managing to look up at her face, which wore a small, knowing smile. She knew exactly what kind of effect she was having on him, but the usually conservative dresser didn't seem to mind his stares in the least. "W-What are you doing here?"_

_Ignoring his question, Ami walked over to his desk and slowly bent over to pick up his dropped keys from the floor. The motion gave Akira a clear view of the black lacy panties underneath her skirt, and he quickly focused his eyes up on a poster of the periodic table hanging on the wall until she stood properly upright again._

_"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, sensei," Ami apologized, taking one of his hands and placing the keys in it. Was it his imagination, or didn't her voice sound breathier than usual? "I was hoping you could give me a private tutorial."_

_"A tutorial?" he repeated, growing more confused by the minute, especially when she began running a hand up the arm she had refused to let go. "Ami-chan, you're my best student. I doubt you need my help with chemistry."_

_"Who said anything about chemistry?" With a positively seductive grin on her red-painted lips, Ami let go of her hold on his arm and hopped on top of his desk. She then leaned back on her hands and slowly crossed her legs at the knees, giving Akira another free look at up her skirt. "The class I'm having trouble with is anatomy," she said, "particularly the reproductive system. I was hoping you could help. You will, won't you, sensei?"_

_"Uh…um…"_

_Akira couldn't believe what was happening, the scene before his eyes rendering him completely speechless. What in the world had happened to the quiet, studious Ami he knew? Ami would never act so…provocative, especially around one of her professors. If he didn't know any better, he would swear she was actually trying to seduce him._

_"Are you scared, sensei?" Ami asked, one of her hands reaching up to undo even more of the buttons on her shirt._

_Correction -- she was definitely attempting to seduce him._

_Akira quickly shrugged out of his jacket and used it to cover up his nearly half-undressed student. "Ami-chan, what do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "This is completely inappropriate."_

_"That's what makes it so exciting, right?" she teased, promptly ridding herself of sport coat and tossing it to the floor. "Come on, sensei, you can't honestly tell me you don't like what you see."_

_That much was true, as much as he felt like a lecherous old man for thinking so. The sight of her bra, black and lacy to match the panties, underneath the opened shirt brought to mind thoughts -- arousing thoughts -- Akira knew he should not be having toward a student._

_"It doesn't matter whether I like it or not," he declared, deftly managing neither to confirm or deny her claim. "This is wrong. You are my student; I am your teacher."_

_She waved his words off. "Labels. They're only labels. The only thing that matters is how we feel about each other, and I am definitely attracted to you, Kitagawa-sensei."_

_Uncrossing her legs, Ami scooted up to the edge of the desk and reached for Akira's tie, pulling him toward her and crushing her lips against his. At first, Akira was surprised by her boldness, but he soon allowed his hormones to take over, returning her kiss with equal passion._

_At the back of his mind, Akira knew what they were doing was wrong, but no matter how hard he tried, his body would not cooperate with the messages his brain tried to send it. His hands, working on their own volition, found their way underneath the back of her shirt, and he fumbled with the clasp of her strapless bra, releasing her full, round breasts from the lacy confines._

_Meanwhile, as she continued to tease his tongue with her kisses, Ami undid his tie, then moved on to the small buttons of his shirt, her hands roving along the contours of his newly exposed torso as if she was caressing a swatch of velvet fabric. Akira moaned at the touch, and he barely noticed when she managed to slide the shirt down his arms and onto the floor. He pulled Ami closer toward him, enjoying the feel of her bared breasts against his chest, and ran his hands up and down her back underneath the shirt she still wore._

_Pulling away a short time later, Ami took one of Akira's hands and placed it on her left breast. He could faintly feel her heart beating against her ribcage, but it wasn't a nervous fluttering, feeling more like the excited pounding heartbeat of an athlete right before a big competition. His other hand was guided underneath the bit of fabric that passed for a skirt, and his fingers brushed against the slightly damp lace of her panties._

_"I'm ready for that anatomy lesson now, sensei," Ami whispered in Akira's ear, flicking her tongue over his sensitive earlobe._

_With a lusty moan, Akira lowered his student down on the suddenly clear surface of his desk…_

_And opened his eyes, only to realize the tongue lapping at his ear was Mercury's._

_"Damn," he cursed, abruptly sitting upright in his bed._

_A dream. It was only a dream._

_Running a hand through his messy hair, Akira sighed and looked around him as Mercury jumped off the bed and started playing with a squeaky chew toy left lying on the floor. Sometime during the night, he had tossed his blanket off to the side, but Akira had somehow managed to get his legs tangled up in the sheets. He moved to untangle them, only to become acutely aware of an uncomfortable hardness between his legs._

_Akira swore again, debating whether he should head for the bathroom for a cold shower or take care of things himself. In the end, remembering what had caused the problem in the first place, he settled on the shower, the freezing cold water cooling down his desires, as well as waking him from his half-asleep state._

_"What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself aloud, once the full impact of the dream hit him. "She's my student, for crying out loud!"_

_Akira immediately placed the blame on Dr. Nakajima and his crazy theories. That had to be it. He never would have been thinking about Ami in…that way if it hadn't been for the conversation they had yesterday at the coffee house. Somehow, his mentor had planted the idea into his subconscious, resulting in the highly inappropriate dream about his assistant._

_Granted, the fact that it had been over a year since he last had sex certainly hadn't helped matters…_

_"Argh!"_

_Feeling frustrated, Akira abruptly turned off the water and got out of the shower. Small beads of water droplets rolled down his body and hair and onto to the tiled floor, but he mostly ignored them, wrapping a large white towel around his waist and walking over to the sink to brush his teeth and shave. After grabbing his toothpaste and shaving cream from the medicine cabinet, Akira began his usual morning routine, suddenly stopping in mid-brush when he realized what day it was._

_Monday._

_The day his advanced organic chemistry class met, as well as the day when Ami was supposed to return to attending classes after her illness._

_Crap._

_The dream couldn't have happened on a worse morning. How in the world was he supposed to teach Ami's class after that? Akira wasn't a religious man, but, if he had been, he would have sworn the gods were playing some kind of very sick joke on him._

_He would simply have to forget about the dream, put it completely out of his mind. That was the only thing he could do. It wasn't as if he could cancel class just because he happened to have an erotic dream about one of his students, though the idea was tempting…_

_Akira shook his head. "No, I can do this," he said to his reflection in the mirror after spitting out his toothpaste in the sink. "No problem at all. Even if I did dream about Ami-chan, it didn't really mean anything. It's just a case of sexual frustration, that's all."_

_At least he hoped._

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_"Ami, are you up yet?"_

_Outside Ami's bedroom door, Makoto, already dressed for her morning class at the community college, held a breakfast tray in her hands, consisting of a bowl of oatmeal, some toast, and a glass of orange juice in compliance with the promise she made Dr. Mizuno the night before that Ami would have a good breakfast. When Ami didn't answer, Makoto carefully balanced the tray in one hand and slowly opened the door as not to disturb her roommate if she was still sleeping._

_Ami was indeed still in bed, resting peacefully with a medical journal laying open face-down on her stomach and still wearing her reading glasses as if she had fallen asleep in the middle of reading, a sight that was not altogether unusual when Ami was concerned. After setting the tray down on Ami's neatly organized desk, Makoto went over to the bed and tried her best to remove the glasses without waking Ami up._

_"Mako-chan?"_

_Despite her care in taking off the glasses, dark blue eyes blinked open, first looking at Makoto, then darting over to the digital alarm clock sitting on the nightstand beside the bed. Ami squinted to read the numbers, and, when she realized what time it was, immediately sat up._

_"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" Ami gasped, throwing her blanket -- as well as the journal, which she didn't seem to remember was still on her lap -- to the side. "I have an early class today!"_

_Before Ami managed to get out of bed, Makoto reached for her shoulder, gently holding her down. "Ami-chan, your mother said no school today, remember?" she reminded the dedicated student. "You can go back tomorrow."_

_"But I feel fine, Mako-chan," Ami insisted. "I can go to class."_

_Makoto had to admit Ami was beginning to look like her old self again. The color had returned to her pallid skin, and the feverish look that had been present in her eyes for the past week had fully disappeared. However, if Dr. Mizuno thought it was best for Ami to stay home for another day, who was she to argue with doctor's orders?_

_"Tomorrow," she repeated firmly in what the girls called her "mother voice," moving Ami's legs back on the bed and placing the blanket back over them._

_Ami sighed in defeat, but thankfully didn't pout or whine as Minako or Usagi might have done if they had actually wanted to go school. ( _Fat chance of that_ , Makoto thought.) While Ami settled back into bed, Makoto placed her glasses on top of the stack of books and magazines sitting on top of the nightstand and bent down to pick up the medical journal which had fallen on the floor._

_The journal had fallen right side up, open to an article which had been bookmarked by a blue Post-It note. Makoto briefly glanced it over, but she couldn't even understand the title, much less what the article was about. She did, however, recognize the name of one of the five co-authors._

_"Kitagawa Akira-sensei? Hey, isn't he that professor you work for at the laboratory?" Makoto asked, grinning when she looked up at his photograph. Ami hadn't lied when she said her professor was handsome. With his lush, dark hair and green eyes full of intelligence, he looked like some kind of movie star. "Wow, he is a hottie! Why can't any of my professors at J.C. be this cute?"_

_"Mako-chan, may I have that back?" Ami inquired, holding out her hand, but strangely looking down at her blanket so Makoto couldn't see her face._

_"In a minute," she replied. "I haven't finished looking yet."_

_"You wouldn't be interested."_

_"If I had a teacher who looked like him, I'm sure he could have gotten me interested."_

_Still, Ami had a point about her lack of interest in the article itself, so she reluctantly handed the journal back over to her flushed roommate, who immediately closed it and set it aside. Concerned by the sudden redness in her cheeks, Makoto placed a hand on her forehead._

_"You aren't getting a fever again, are you?" she asked, frowning._

_Ami vehemently shook her head and fanned herself with her hand. "I'm just a little hot, that's all. Did you turn up the thermostat this morning?"_

_"No, it's the same temperature as always, but I can turn it down a couple of degrees for you before I leave."_

_"I'll be okay," she said, looking over at the desk. "Is that my breakfast?"_

_Makoto had almost completely forgotten about the tray she had made. She walked back over to the desk and dipped her finger slightly into the oatmeal to check if it was still warm. Luckily, it was, so she brought the tray over to the bed and placed it over Ami's legs._

_"Well, I should probably head to class now," she said once Ami was situated. "I left you an obento in the fridge for lunch, and I should be home in time to fix dinner. If you need anything else, just call me or your mother."_

_"Thanks, Mako-chan."_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_After getting dressed and taking Mercury on his morning walk, Akira headed for the university. On the way there, he went to McDonald's for his usual breakfast-on-the-run -- an Egg McMuffin and a small coffee -- and stopped at a magazine kiosk to buy the morning paper, at the last minute deciding to purchase a men's magazine as well. He wasn't normally in the habit of reading such material, but Akira figured he could use all the help he could get in getting the dream about Ami out of his head before class started._

_When he arrived, the classroom was empty, as was to be expected at seven in the morning when the class didn't even start until nine. It was too early even for the over-achievers -- Ami among them -- to show up, getting a head start on copying the diagrams and formulas he usually already had drawn on the board for that day's lecture or asking some last minute questions about the previous week's homework. Taking a seat behind his desk, Akira put on his reading glasses and started to reach for the newspaper as usual before deciding on the magazine instead._

_After unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite, Akira stared down at the magazine cover in front of him and sighed. How pathetic was he to have to resort to looking at pictures of half-naked women as a release for his pent-up sexual energy? His mother was right -- he did need a girlfriend. Badly._

_Especially if he was having sex dreams about one of his students._

_"Forget about Ami-chan!" Akira ordered himself, opening the magazine to a random page._

_Though there were several racy photos placed on the two-page spread, Akira found himself zoning in mostly on the sexy redhead on page 32. She was about as opposite to Ami as could be, with shoulder-length ringlets and mischievous green eyes, not to mention very large breasts that seemed to defy his extensive knowledge of the laws of physics. Under normal circumstances, Akira probably wouldn't have found the model no more than mildly attractive, but she was the perfect choice to distract him from his thoughts of Ami._

_Akira began burning the provocative image into his mind, so intent on the photograph that he didn't even notice when Dr. Nakajima entered the classroom until the older professor loudly cleared his throat from his spot in front of the desk._

_"Am I interrupting something?" he asked as Akira involuntarily jumped and moved to close the magazine, even though he was almost certain Dr. Nakajima had already gotten a good look at its contents._

_"Um…it's not what you're thinking, Nakajima-sensei," Akira said, feeling as if he was fifteen again and his mother had just found his stash of porn magazines -- on loan to him by his much older classmates -- underneath the mattress. "You see, I…uh…"_

_His mentor laughed, picking up the discarded magazine and flipping through the pages. "No need to explain, Akira-kun. I used to have a subscription to this magazine myself in my younger days. Nothing to be ashamed about."_

_"It's not like that at all," Akira insisted. "In fact, it's all your fault I bought it in the first place."_

_"My fault?" Arching an eyebrow, Dr. Nakajima set the magazine back down on the desk and turned his attention on Akira, who promptly put the magazine away in the top drawer of his desk, away from the eyes of anybody else who might walk in. "Why do you say that?"_

_"I don't really want to talk about it."_

_"Come now, you can't just tell me I was the reason why you bought that magazine, then refuse to tell me why."_

_"Well…"_

_Akira hadn't originally intended to tell anybody about the dream, but if there was one person who might understand what he was going through, it was Dr. Nakajima. Standing from his chair, he went over to the door and looked out into the hall to make sure nobody was standing outside. When he was satisfied the coast was clear, he then closed the door and locked it. The last thing he needed was for a student, or worse, Ami herself, walking in and overhearing their conversation._

_"This must be something big," Dr. Nakajima said, taking a seat in one of the students' desks. "Why the secrecy, Akira-kun?"_

_Resuming his seat behind his desk, Akira sighed and ran a hand nervously through his hair. He didn't even know where to start. The whole thing was beyond embarrassing, but, somehow, he managed to get the words out._

_"I had a dream last night," Akira hesitantly began, looking over at the older man to see his reaction. Dr. Nakajima remained emotionless, so he went on. "It took place right here in this room. I'm pretty sure it must have been a Friday, because I recall some student leaving his notebook behind and me thinking he had forgotten it in the rush to start the weekend, but, in any case, I know it was the end of the day because I was getting ready to go to that Chinese place near campus for some takeout before heading for the labs."_

_"Doesn't seem too unusual so far."_

_"No, but then there was a knock on the door," Akira continued. "I assumed it was the student who had left his notebook behind, so of course I told him to come in."_

_"But it wasn't?"_

_Akira shook his head. "When I finally turned around to see who it was, I saw Mizuno Ami-chan standing in the doorway, wearing the girls' uniform from my old middle school and a positively seductive smile on her face."_

_At that revelation, his mentor did react, his eyes widening slightly in comprehension. "Don't tell me it was _that_ sort of dream."_

_"What other kind would it be?" he replied sardonically. "Pretty girls in too-short school uniforms don't normally show up in dreams just to 'talk.'"_

_"No, I suppose they don't, do they?" Dr. Nakajima sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger. "But you can't say I didn't warn you, Akira-kun. I told you that it was unwise to develop an attraction toward Mizuno-san --"_

_"What? No, I'm not attracted to Ami-chan. I told you that at the coffee house."_

_"I'd say the fact you had an erotic dream about her proves otherwise."_

_"The only reason I even dreamed about Ami-chan in that way in the first place is because of what you said," he accused, "nothing more."_

_"Ah, so that's why I'm to blame for you reading that magazine," the professor said, nodding in understanding._

_"At least partially." Frowning, Akira reached for a pencil laying on his desk and began tapping it against the surface. "To be honest, I've… Well, I've been going through a dry spell, lately."_

_"How long has it been?"_

_Akira hesitated for a moment, more than a bit self-conscious, before finally admitting, "Over a year."_

_Dr. Nakajima let out a low whistle. "Well, no wonder you had that dream about Mizuno-san. You're frustrated."_

_"No kidding." Akira sighed, leaning back in his chair. "There's been no one since Maeko," he confessed. "Don't get me wrong, I date occasionally, but the problem is, it never leads anywhere. I'm lucky if we make it to the third date before one of us realizes it's just not going to work out between us."_

_"Some men would consider that more than enough time to make a move."_

_"Yes, well, I was never one for cheap sex. I at least want to learn a little more about the girl before sleeping with her."_

_"That is usually the best course of action, I agree."_

_"So what am I supposed to do?" Akira asked, rubbing his forehead. "Visit the red light district? Rent crappy hentai anime?"_

_He scowled as Dr. Nakajima started to snicker, trying unsuccessfully to hide the fact behind his hand. Akira failed to see what was so amusing about his current lack of a sex life._

_"It's not funny, Nakajima-sensei. I'm being serious."_

_"I know, I know." Composing himself, the older man brought his hand back down. "I'm sorry, Akira-kun," he apologized. "I wasn't laughing at you. It's just that what you said reminded me of some of the things I used to do in my more youthful years whenever I…well, didn't have an outlet for my needs."_

_"Oh?" Akira straightened up, interested in spite of himself. He was almost willing to try anything if it meant he wouldn't have to worry about having another sexy dream about his number one student. "Like what?"_

_Getting up from the desk he was sitting in, Dr. Nakajima shook his head. "I'd rather not go into details. I'm sure you'd sleep better not knowing the specifics of your former teacher's sex life," he said with a small smile. "However, if this thing with Mizuno-san is really bothering you so much, then go out there and find yourself a date. A fun night on the town with a nice girl sounds like exactly what you need, and if things happen to lead to the bedroom, all the better, right?"_

_"You sound just like my mother," Akira groaned, "minus the whole 'go out and get laid' part…although considering how much she wants grandchildren, she probably wouldn't object."_

_"Well, if that's the case, maybe you should listen to her for once." Glancing down at his watch, Dr. Nakajima stood back up. "Sorry, Akira-kun, I'd like to help you more, but I should probably be going. I have an early lecture today."_

_"Okay. See you at lunch?"_

_Dr. Nakajima nodded. "I was thinking we should go out for Chinese. That dream of yours has me in the mood."_

_"Sounds fine to me. I'll meet you there."_

_After saying goodbye and showing Dr. Nakajima out, Akira went back to his desk and was about to pull the magazine out again when he remembered Dr. Nakajima's advice. Perhaps he was onto something. Maybe instead of porn or some other poor substitute, what he needed was to go on a date with an actual flesh-and-blood girl. At least if he did, then maybe his mother would stop e-mailing him links to online dating services. That was reason enough to consider it._

_But who would he ask out? He hadn't really met anybody new recently. During their last phone call, his mother had mentioned something about setting him up with the daughter of a friend who had recently moved to Tokyo, but Akira had quickly rejected that idea, not in the mood for a blind date._

_That really only left him with one choice._

_After closing the drawer with the magazine, he opened the one underneath it and pulled out his address book. Then getting out his cell phone, Akira dialed the number of his last date._

_"Hello, Sato-san? I don't know if you remember me, but this is Kitagawa Akira. I was wondering…"_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Yui was pleased when she arrived at her advanced chemistry class that morning and found an empty seat in the front row of the class where the girl genius usually sat. It looked like Mizuno Ami was absent once again, which gave Yui one more day to prove to Professor Kitagawa that she would make a better assistant than Little Miss Perfect. As of yet, he still hadn't offered her the job._

_Sure enough, when class was over, the professor, who had seemed a little distracted during his lecture, asked her if she would be willing to work an extra day. Though Yui had already made tentative plans for a study date with Hideki, she readily agreed, knowing that her boyfriend would understand if he knew what was good for him. She left the classroom with a smile on her face, greeting a surprised Hideki, who was waiting for her outside the door, with a kiss on the cheek._

_"What do you mean Kitagawa-sensei asked you to work tonight?" Hideki asked when she told him the news. "I thought you were supposed to come over to my place."_

_"Mizuno-san is still out sick, so I told him I wouldn't mind coming to the labs tonight," Yui explained with a shrug. "It's only one more night. You won't even miss me."_

_She didn't dare tell him of her plans to steal the position away from Miss Mizuno. Hideki had been complaining about her lack of free time ever since she took the job, and she suspected he would be none too happy to hear that she was looking to make things permanent._

_"Fine," he sighed, "but you owe me."_

_Smiling, Yui once again kissed his cheek and smiled. "I promise I'll make it up to you," she said before heading to the library to put her plan in action._

_Yui spent the rest of the day preparing for that afternoon's lab session during whatever free time she managed to find. She had made copies of several articles relevant to the experiments they had been working on the past few days and read them between classes, determined to remember every single fact she could get her hands on. By the time five o'clock rolled around, Yui was confident that she knew everything she needed to know about Professor Kitagawa's current research, a fact that was bound to impress him._

_When she arrived at the lab, she found Professor Kitagawa sitting at his desk and flipping through a medical journal, which he set aside when she arrived. "Ah, Yokoyama-san," he greeted, standing up from his chair, "thank you again for agreeing to work this session on such short notice. Ami-ch-- I mean, Mizuno-san was supposed to be back today, but it appears she's still ill. I hope I didn't ruin any plans you may have had for the evening."_

_"No, not at all," Yui lied, inwardly bristling at the fact that he almost called Miss Mizuno "Ami-chan." Really, how unprofessional. "I'm happy to work for as long as you need me."_

_"Well, tonight should be the last night. I expect Mizuno-san will be back to class tomorrow, recovered and well." There was a strange look on his face when he said that, one that Yui could not quite read, but it quickly disappeared as he grabbed his lab coat from the back of his desk chair and pulled it on. "Shall we get to work, then?"_

_"Yes, of course."_

_They headed to the main lab, and Yui began setting up for the day's experiment, taking care to be extra thorough in checking for cracks in the glassware and making sure all the equipment was in working order. However, Professor Kitagawa, much to her annoyance, didn't seem to be paying much attention to her, looking over their results from yesterday. Deciding it was time to show off some of the knowledge she had accumulated during the day, she lightly cleared her throat and said, "You know, I was just reading that journal you were flipping through when I arrived."_

_"Oh?"_

_"I found that American researcher's article on glucogon-like peptide 1 particularly interesting. If what it says is true, it could be a great help to your own research in the field."_

_"Yes, I know. I've already made copies for several of my colleagues," he said dismissively._

_"I was thinking it might be beneficial to perform last Friday's experiment again, taking into consideration the new findings," she suggested, not willing to give up. If she could only come up with one brilliant idea to impress him, Yui was positive Professor Kitagawa would fire Miss Mizuno and hire her on the spot. "The results might be more conclusive a second time."_

_"I've already scheduled the experiment for the end of next week."_

_Yui sighed, disappointed to learn that he had already came to the same conclusion she had. "Oh."_

_The exchange set the tone for the rest of the session. Every time she would suggest an article to read or proposed an idea, the professor had already gotten to it first. By the end of the session, Yui was thoroughly frustrated, especially when he again thanked her for coming without a word about making things permanent. It looked as if she would have to be more direct about her objective. Even if he was unwilling to replace Miss Mizuno, she wouldn't mind becoming his second assistant and biding her time before he realized she was the only assistant he needed._

_"Kitagawa-sensei?"_

_The professor, who was putting their lab coats away in the closet, turned back around to look at her. "Hmm?"_

_"I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed working with you," she said in her sweetest voice. "I've learned so much over the past few days, and I regret that it's over so soon."_

_"Well, if I ever have need for a temp again, I'll know who to call. You've been a great help during Mizuno-san's absence."_

_"Actually, I was wondering if it would be possible to become your permanent assistant."_

_With a sigh, Professor Kitagawa reached back into the closet and pulled out his brown sport coat. "Yokoyama-san, you know I already have an assistant. This was only supposed to be a temporary position. I thought you understood that."_

_"I know, and I'm sure Mizuno-san is capable at her job, but an extra pair of hands couldn't hurt, could it?"_

_"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there just isn't enough money in the budget to pay for a second assistant, especially when I don't need another one."_

_"The money doesn't matter. I'd be willing to work for free if I could continue working together with you."_

_"Like I said before, I don't have a need for another assistant at the moment, Yokoyama-san, but if you would like, I could ask around and see if there is another position open for you, maybe something closer to your chosen field," he offered. "You said you wanted to become a plastic surgeon, right? I believe Takai-sensei in dermatological testing has an opening if you're interested."_

_Yui shook her head. If she couldn't have Miss Mizuno's position, she found she wasn't really interested in the idea of another job. As much as she hated to admit it, a large part of her wanting to work with Professor Kitagawa was the fact that Miss Mizuno had stolen the opportunity away from her the first time, rather than any real desire to work in pharmaceuticals. "No, that's okay," she sighed, defeated. "Thank you for the offer though."_

_"If you change you mind, I'd be happy to recommend you."_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Hideki sat on a bench outside the Institute of Medical Science, waiting for his girlfriend to walk her back to her dorm. Yui said she wouldn't be later than seven, but a quick glance at his watch revealed it was already seven-ten. He sighed, hoping that tonight would be the last night she would have to work with Professor Kitagawa. They had spent very little time together since she had taken on the temporary job, and he was looking forward to having her back to himself again._

_He didn't have to wait too much longer for Yui to appear. The redhead stormed out of the building a couple of minutes later, almost passing right by him. If he hadn't reached out to grab her arm and stop her, she probably would have. When she was angry, Yui tended to have a one-track mind._

_"Hey, what's going on?" Hideki asked, ignoring her shouts to let her go. "What's wrong, Yui?"_

_Yui's face softened somewhat when she saw who it was who grabbed her arm, and she sighed. "Oh, Hideki, it's you. Don't scare me like that. What are you doing here?"_

_"I came to walk you home, but never mind that. What has got you so mad?"_

_"Kitagawa-sensei told me that Mizuno-san plans to come back to work tomorrow, so he doesn't need me anymore," Yui mumbled._

_"So? That's great," Hideki said, regretting his words as soon as they left his mouth._

_His girlfriend glared at him, yanking her arm out of his grip. "No, it is not 'great.' Kitagawa-sensei was supposed to fire her and hire me!"_

_Hideki had to resist the urge to roll his eyes, sure that Yui would hardly appreciate the gesture. Instead, he tried to calm her back down. "Yui, you knew going into this that he just hired you on a temporary basis to fill in for Mizuno-san. Don't tell me you actually believed that the replacement would be permanent."_

_"I'm not stupid. Of course I knew the position was only temporary."_

_"Then why are you so upset?" he asked, confused. "You knew he was going to let you go eventually. This can't have come as a surprise."_

_"Ugh, sometimes you can be so clueless!" Yui snapped, throwing herself on the bench and crossing her arms over her chest._

_Feeling as if a headache was about to come on, Hideki rubbed at his right temple. Women! Sometimes, he really did think that men and women must have come from different planets. Did Yui expect him to be some kind of mind reader or something? How was he supposed to know what she was thinking when she wouldn't tell him?_

_"Well, why don't you explain it to me if I'm so clueless?" he suggested, taking a seat next to her on the bench._

_"I thought that maybe if I showed Kitagawa-sensei what a good assistant I was, he would decide to get rid of Mizuno-san and hire me on full-time," she finally admitted, looking down at her clenched hands. "I know I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up like that, but it just makes me so…angry! The first time I tried applying for the job, he had already hired Mizuno-san without giving anybody else a chance, but now that I've had the chance to prove myself, he still went back to Little Miss Perfect. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to beat her!"_

_Hideki exhaled loudly. He should have known that she was more upset about "losing" to Miss Mizuno than about losing the job itself. That was the way it always was, and it seemed her obsession with beating her academic rival was now extending outside the classroom as well._

_"Yui, just because he didn't fire Mizuno-san doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't the better assistant," he said, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Don't take it so personally. I'm sure if the position had been vacated, you would have been the first person to come to mind to fill it, but the fact is that he already had an assistant and he wasn't looking for a new one. He only needed a temporary replacement for Mizuno-san."_

_"Really? You really think he would have hired me if Mizuno-san hadn't got to him first?"_

_"I know so. You're the most brilliant person I know, and if Kitagawa-sensei couldn't see that, then that's his loss."_

_"Oh, Hideki…"_

_Much to Hideki's surprise, Yui rested her head on his shoulder, and he felt her body relax against him. Considering the unforgiving schedule she had put herself through for the past week, she must have been exhausted. Hideki lightly kissed the top of her head, then helped her stand back up._

_"Come on, I'll take you home."_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_"I really had a wonderful time, tonight, Akira-san. Dinner was delicious."_

_Stopping outside her apartment door, his date for the evening turned and smiled at Akira, her dark eyes looking up at him with what he could only describe as desire. She was trying her best not to look too eager, but Akira had gone out with enough women to know that she had no intention of letting the date end so soon._

_In fact, he had been fully aware of Sato Kaede's objectives from the moment she asked him to walk her upstairs instead of saying goodnight outside her building as he had done the previous two times they had gone out. Under normal circumstances, Akira probably would have politely refused the request, saying it was too soon in the relationship, but his raging hormones were hard to ignore, winning over his more noble thoughts. He had followed the pretty brunette inside the apartment complex without protest, silently cursing his weakness._

_Akira honestly had not expected things to go so fast when he decided to ask Kaede out for dinner after the conversation with Dr. Nakajima, despite his mentor's suggestion. The two of them had gone out a couple times before, but while she was a nice enough girl, there had been no real sparks between them. His only intention in asking her out again was to try to get his mind off Mizuno Ami, who, thankfully, had not shown up for class that morning, and have a fun night on the town, yet he was afraid that Kaede may have gotten the wrong impression._

_It wouldn't be so bad if they had actually managed to hit it off this time. A part of him had been hoping the third date would be a charm, but again, Akira felt nothing but friendship toward her._

_He had almost found the courage to tell Kaede just that when she pulled her keys out from her clutch purse, and turning to unlock the door, asked, "Would you like to come in for a drink?"_

_"Actually, I don't think that's such a good id--" Akira stopped himself just in time, noticing the disappointment starting to show on Kaede's face. After using her as he did, he supposed the least he could do was have a drink with her. "On second thought, I would love to."_

_"Great." Opening the door, she showed him inside her apartment. "I'm sorry the place is kind of a mess," Kaede apologized as Akira helped her out of her cropped leather jacket, revealing the black lace dress she wore underneath. "I meant to clean up before our date tonight, but I've just been so busy lately."_

_"It's fine," he assured her as he glanced around at the only mildly messy apartment while she hung her jacket in the coat closet. In all honesty, Akira probably wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't mentioned it, the clutter confined only to a couple of books haphazardly tossed onto the coffee table and a cup of forgotten half-drunk coffee sitting by the phone, but one of the first things he had learned about his date was that she was almost obsessively neat, a trait Akira attributed to the fact that she was currently a graduate student in mathematics at Keiou. "You have a nice place here."_

_"Thank you." After taking a moment to straighten the books and take the mug back to the kitchen, Kaede headed toward the liquor cabinet. She pulled out two crystal glasses and a bottle of red wine. "Is Pinot Noir okay with you?" she asked._

_Akira nodded, his hands in his pockets as he stared out the large window that took up practically one entire wall. "One of my favorites."_

_"Mine too," she said, pouring the glasses and walking over to join him. "Wonderful view, isn't it?"_

_"Yeah."_

_From Kaede's tenth floor apartment, they had a fantastic vantage point from which to look down at Tokyo Bay. Of course, because it was nighttime, it was hard to see much of anything, but the luminous moon and a handful of twinkling stars provided enough illumination to make out the dark waves crashing against the shore, as well as a couple of ships still out on the water. In the daytime, Akira suspected the view was even more spectacular._

_Bored of looking out the window, Kaede sat down on the couch and took a sip of her drink. "You know, I must admit I was rather surprised when you called, Akira-san," she said, bringing her glass down._

_Akira, his attention pulled away from the view and back to his date, turned around, somewhat startled. "Oh? Why is that?"_

_"It's just that I was under the impression you weren't interested in me anymore. You never called after our last date."_

_"I'm sorry, Kaede-san," he apologized, hiding an embarrassed grimace as he made his way over to the couch beside her. Akira had been hoping she wouldn't bring that up._

_The brunette shook her head, brushing it off. "It's fine, but what made you decide to call me so suddenly after two months?"_

_Stalling, Akira brought his glass to his lips and took a long drink as his mind raced to come up with a response that didn't make him look like a complete jerk. He couldn't exactly tell her that the only reason he called was because he had an erotic dream about another woman which he was trying to forget and she was the first person he thought of to call for a distraction._

_"I've been thinking about you lately," he finally replied softly, not able to look Kaede in the eye. It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't the truth either. "I feel that I didn't exactly give you a fair chance the last time we went out, and I wanted to mend that."_

_"I see." Evidently pleased with his answer, she smiled. "Are you glad you gave me a second chance?"_

_"Y-Yeah."_

_"Me too."_

_Kaede sat her wine glass down on the coffee table, and much to Akira's surprise, took his as well. Then, moving closer toward him, she placed her hand on his knee, running it up his thigh and causing him to draw in a hissing breath._

_"Kaede-san, I-I…"_

_"Don't talk," she said, bringing the hand up to place a finger on his lips. "Just kiss me."_

_For a long moment, Akira just sat there, motionless as he tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. He didn't know why he was so surprised, since he had suspected that Kaede wanted to sleep with him, but he supposed he figured she would wait for him to make the first move. He had actually been counting on that, secure in the fact that he was in control of the situation._

_However, with Kaede coming onto him, ready and willing, Akira was finding it hard to resist. His resolve to remain a gentleman crumbled underneath her innocently -- or maybe not so -- seductive gaze and the soft touch of her fingertip, which she ran across his bottom lip. He involuntarily reached up to wrap his hand around her wrist, and bringing her hand back down to rest on his thigh, Akira leaned forward to kiss her._

_It was not by any means the best kiss he ever had, but Akira didn't care, his tongue mashing against Kaede's as if he was a thirsty man in a desert drinking his first sip of water in days. Even Kaede seemed surprised by his sudden urgency, but she readily complied, cupping his face in her hands as she returned his fervor._

_Somehow, they ended up in a laying position on the couch, Akira on top of Kaede, who squirmed underneath him as she tried to get comfortable on the leather sofa. His jacket had been tossed -- neatly -- onto a nearby armchair, and most of the buttons of his untucked shirt were open, allowing Kaede to land teasing kisses on his chest, occasionally flicking her tongue over his nipples. Akira, feeling himself harden almost instantly, pushed up the bottom of Kaede's dress and was about to reach for the waistband of her underwear when she suddenly pushed him off of her and sat up._

_"Something wrong?" he asked, fighting his first urge to swear in frustration._

_Kaede shook her head. "No," she said, standing and taking his hand. "Let's take this someplace more comfortable."_

_Understanding, Akira allowed Kaede to lead him to her bedroom, which was just as neat and organized as her living room. As he took a seat on the edge of her queen-sized bed, Kaede pulled out a CD from her alphabetized collection and placed it in the CD player. The jazzy sounds of Kenny G soon filled the air, and walking over to the bed, Kaede stood between Akira's legs and helped him out of his shirt._

_Resting her hands on his bared shoulders, the sexy mathematician pushed him back further up the bed so that she could straddle him, a knee placed on either side of his hips, which caused her already short dress to ride up even higher. Akira ran his hands up her newly-exposed thighs and squeezed her buttocks firmly, groaning when Kaede pressed down against him. His hands then traveled up higher, finding the zipper at the top of her dress and pulling it all the way down to where it ended at the small of her back. As she sat back up, the thin spaghetti straps slipped down her arms until the top half of the dress pooled around her waist and her entire torso was revealed._

_"Like what you see?" Kaede asked, leaning slightly forward so Akira had a good view of her breasts almost popping out of her nude-colored strapless bra._

_"Yeah…"_

_Pulling Kaede against his chest, Akira rolled them both over on the bed so that he was on top. He managed to push down the rest of her dress, Kaede using her legs to help kick it out of the way, then began kissing her collarbone, pinning her arms above her head._

_Because her hands were otherwise occupied, all Kaede could do was sigh in pleasure, her body pressing against him in need. Her legs spread apart even further, and Akira, one hand still holding Kaede against the bed, reached down to release himself from the increasingly uncomfortable confines of his pants._

_"Do you have a condom?" she asked breathlessly as he brought his hand back up to cup her breast through the satin fabric of her bra._

_"Yeah, but it's in the living room," Akira answered with a groan as he looked toward the door. His wallet, where he usually kept one just in case, was in the jacket they had left behind on the armchair. "I'll go get it."_

_Reluctantly, he started to get up, but Kaede reached for his arm, stopping him. "No need," she insisted, sitting back up and reaching for the knob of her nightstand drawer. "I should have one around here somewhere... Here it is."_

_She tossed the small package to him and Akira quickly slipped it on, not knowing how much longer he would last. Normally, he had much more control over things, but he was admittedly out of practice. Deciding to let Kaede resume the dominant position, he laid back down on the bed, and the brunette once again straddled him, bending forward so that she could swirl her tongue over his nipples._

_While Kaede continued to work her magic, Akira closed his eyes and let himself simply enjoy the moment. Dr. Nakajima was right; this was exactly what he needed. A roll around in the sack with a pretty girl was just the cure--_

_Suddenly, his eyes flew open and Akira's body stiffened, paralyzed by a new sensation. Kaede had finished playing with his nipples, and so she had begun moving upwards, leaving a trail of wet kisses as she made her way up to his left ear. Taking the lobe between her lips, she gently began nibbling on the sensitive flesh, but instead of arousing him, the memory of the blue-haired seductress from his dream flashed before his eyes._

__Stop it,_ Akira ordered himself silently, trying to block the image of a uniform-clad Mizuno Ami from his mind. _Focus on Kaede-san.__

_In an attempt to forget about Ami, Akira rolled Kaede once again onto her back and pulled his ear away from her mouth. She moaned in protest, but she didn't seem to mind when he sat back up and began kissing her raised right knee, his hand running along the silky skin of her inner thigh. As he continued to explore the other parts of Kaede's body, Akira was successful for the most part in his mission, managing to put Ami and the dream completely out of his mind as he focused on increasing his partner's pleasure._

_However, Kaede soon grew impatient with his extended foreplay. Taking the initiative as Akira made his way back up her body, she guided one of his hands to the crotch of her panties -- a silent signal she was ready for more. Again reminded of the dream, Akira yanked his hand away and abruptly stopped, much to Kaede's surprise._

_"Akira-san?"_

_Akira sat back up and grabbed his discarded shirt off the floor, putting it back on. As much as he would have liked to continue where they had left off, he couldn't. Sex with Kaede was supposed to help him get over the dream he had with Ami, not remind him more of it._

_"I'm so sorry, Kaede-san," he apologized, zipping up his pants. "I have to go."_

_"What?" Sitting back up, she reached for a large pillow to cover herself up. "Akira-san, what's wrong? Did I do something?"_

_"It's not you. I, uh, I just shouldn't be here. I'm sorry."_

_Kaede stared at him, confused, as Akira headed back to the living room for his jacket. He really hated leaving her like that, but he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't lead her on like that, knowing that she probably wasn't after just a one-night stand. While he slipped on his shoes at the front door, Kaede reappeared, tying her robe around her waist._

_"Akira-san, wait," she said, stopping him before he opened the door to leave. Akira turned back around. "Why are you leaving?" Kaede demanded to know. "I don't understand. I thought things were going well between us, and I really like you."_

_"They were. I had a great time with you tonight," Akira said honestly. It hadn't been the most fantastic date in the world, but he had enjoyed himself._

_"Then why--?"_

_Akira shook his head before she could finish asking the question. "It's just not going to work out between us. I'm sorry."_

_"Oh."_

_She took the announcement rather well -- no begging for another chance or bursting into tears -- for which he was grateful. Akira chastely kissed her cheek before opening the door._

_"I'll see you around, Kaede-san. Goodnight," he said, starting to leave when Kaede popped her head out into the hall._

_"Akira-san?"_

_Akira turned back around, figuring she just wanted to tell him goodnight. "Yes?"_

_"Next time you get the urge to call me, don't bother."_

_And with that, Sato Kaede slammed the door in his face._


	6. Chapter 6

"Ami-chan, you really don't have to stay if you have other things to do. I can handle things from here."

It was the Friday after Akira had first had the dream about his pretty assistant. Ami had returned back to work that Tuesday, fully recovered from her bout with the flu, but things were more awkward than ever between them, thanks to the fact that every night, he continued to have the same arousing dream, and every morning, he woke to find himself hard as a rock.

Akira didn't understand what was wrong with him. He tried everything he could think of to stop, even going as far as renting some bad hentai from the local video store, but that had accomplished nothing except garnering him dirty looks from the high school girl who worked there after school and earning him a tired hand.

The worst part, though, was having to face Ami at the lab every weeknight. In class, things weren't nearly as bad, since he had thirty other students to focus his attention on, but working alone with her in the laboratory was pure torture. Back when they first started working together, Akira remembered how sometimes they would become so involved in an experiment, they wouldn't head home until well after eight or nine o'clock. Now, he couldn't wait to get rid of Ami, his eyes practically glued to his watch so that he could dismiss her promptly at the scheduled time, regardless of whether or not they were done with the day's work.

Unfortunately, Ami was never easy to get rid of, and even less so as of late. She claimed it was to make up for being out sick for the week, but Akira suspected it had more to do with proving to herself that they could continue working together after what had happened at the game -- another cause of the awkwardness between them, despite his apology -- than playing catch-up. "I don't mind staying," she insisted for the third time that night. "Besides, I'm anxious to see the results myself."

Akira sighed and turned his attention back to the experiment he was performing. Ami reminded him a lot of himself at her age, the way she was always willing to work as long as it took to get something done, but while once he would have been impressed with her dedication, her insistence on working overtime was beginning to border on irritating.

No, that wasn't fair to her. It wasn't Ami's fault her presence was so bothersome; it was him. Him and his stupid hormones.

"Still, don't you have some homework you need to do?" he asked in another attempt to convince her to leave. "I don't want to keep you from your studies."

"It's Friday; I have plenty of time to study over the weekend, so it's not a problem staying late tonight."

"What about a date or something? Don't you have plans?"

At his question, a faint blush crossed his assistant's cheeks, and Ami quickly looked down at her notebook, scribbling something down on the page. "I…uh…actually don't date much," she admitted, pushing a strand of her dark hair back behind her ear. "Not at all, really."

"Oh." Pushing down the tiny voice in the back of his mind that screamed, "Yes! She's single," Akira cleared his throat and hoped Ami hadn't noticed his slight faltering. "Really? I thought for sure you would have a boyfriend."

Ami shook her head, her blush deepening. "I don't have time for that sort of thing. My studies are my number one priority."

"I see."

"What about you, sensei?" she asked after a short pause. "Why are you here late on a Friday night instead of out with your girlfriend?" As soon as the question left her mouth, Ami once again looked down at her notebook in shame, her face as red as tomato. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked such a personal question."

"I don't have one," he answered simply, ignoring her obvious embarrassment, just as the timer went off to signal the end of the experiment. Grateful for the interruption of a conversation that was becoming much too personal, Akira glanced over at the readings. "Looks like we're done here," he announced, taking off his safety glasses. "Ami-chan, take down these results and give me some rough calculations using the formulas I gave you earlier. I'm going to start putting these things away." With a wave of his hand, he indicated some equipment from an experiment they had performed earlier in the session.

"Yes, sir."

Moving out of the way so that Ami could record the readings, Akira picked up a rack of test tubes and brought them over to the sink. He immediately got to work on cleaning them, trying to ignore how cute Ami looked with her eyebrows furrowed together as she concentrated on the math and not succeeding.

"She's your student, Akira," he silently scolded himself. "That means she's strictly off-limits. Stop doing this to yourself!"

Despite the mini-lecture, Akira couldn't resist taking another look in Ami's direction, though she was no longer working on the calculations. The expression on her face had changed to one he never recalled seeing before, and he frowned, asking, "Ami-chan? Is something wrong?"

Ami didn't appear to hear him, reaching for the report from the previous Friday's experiment when he had been working with Miss Yokoyama and flipping to the results. "I can't believe it…" she murmured, comparing them to the calculations she had just finished.

"Ami-chan?"

His voice, louder than before, finally managed to startle Ami from her thoughts. "Oh, sensei!" she exclaimed, craning her neck to see behind her. Her sapphire blue eyes were practically sparkling with excitement. "You have to see this."

"What is it?" Setting aside her scratch work, Ami handed him the previous report and a chart filled with the data and results of the redone experiment. It didn't take long for Akira to see why Ami was so excited. "Is this right?" he asked, his eyes widening as he double-checked the readings.

"I checked the math three times. Every time I ended up with the same result."

"This is… This is…" Akira couldn't even find the words to convey what he was feeling. After two long years of research, he may just had made his first big discovery. "Ami-chan, do you know what this means if these results are accurate?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from the chart to look over at his assistant. Ami nodded. "This could be a major breakthrough for diabetes research."

"Congratulations, Kitagawa-sensei. I know how long you've been waiting to find something like this."

Looking back down at the chart, Akira couldn't stop grinning at the numbers. His sister Junko, always one of his biggest supporters when it came to his research, was going to be ecstatic when she heard the news. He still had a long way to go before he reached his goals, but the results of the experiment were definitely a step in the right direction.

"This is just so…unbelievable," he said, finally setting the report and chart back down on the table. "Thank you."

"M-Me?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "What for? I-I didn't do much of anything at all. It was your experiment; all I did was assist you."

"Don't be so modest. I never could have done this without you, Ami-chan," Akira insisted, sincere in his compliment.

And then he kissed her.

Akira had no idea why he did it. At the back of his mind, he must have realized it was wrong, but it was as if somebody else had taken control of his body. His lips pressed against hers, and though she was surprised, Ami responded back with little encouragement on his part.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathless.

"I'm sorry," Akira apologized once he realized what he had done. "I-I shouldn't have done that."

A wide-eyed Ami brought her fingers to her lips as if she didn't quite believe what had happened. "I…uh…should probably be going. My roommate is probably wondering where I am."

"R-Right. See you later."

"Bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following Monday, Akira sat in his office, grading exam papers. It was unusual to find him in there outside his posted office hours, as he felt more at home in the lab than behind a desk, but he knew it was the one place a certain blue-haired lab assistant wouldn't try to find him.

He'd been avoiding Ami ever since that night, even going as far as giving her class a pop quiz that morning just so that he wouldn't risk having to call on her during a lecture. It was childish and ridiculous, but Akira was at a lost of how to deal with what had happened in the lab.

He knew the kiss was wrong. He was a professor and Ami was his student. It had been a stupid mistake, yet after kissing her on top of the dream he had about her, Akira could no longer deny he felt some degree of attraction toward his pretty assistant.

Setting down his red pen, Akira hid his face in his hands and let out a sigh. "Dammit, this is absurd!" he scolded himself. "She's my student; I shouldn't have these feelings toward her."

Absurd or not, he couldn't erase the memory of her soft lips on his, her body pressed against him…

Glancing up at the clock hung on the wall, Akira saw that it was nearing five o'clock. It was time he started heading for the lab, but he was reluctant to go, knowing that meant he would have to see Ami. Still, he began gathering his half-graded papers and stuffed them in his suitcase.

Halfway out the door, however, Akira turned back, struck by a thought. Thanks to the unplanned quiz, he did have quite a few papers to grade… Would it really be that bad if he decided to take one night off from his research to catch up on his grading? Besides, after last week's success, they deserved a break.

Decided, Akira walked back to his desk and pulled out a piece of the school's stationary. On it, he wrote:

_Ami-chan_

_I'm sorry, but I will be unable to work with you this evening. I'm behind on my grading, so I have decided to go home and play catch up. You will still be paid for tonight, so consider this a reward for Friday's success. Enjoy the break, and I'll see you at tomorrow's session._

_Dr. Kitagawa_

Akira folded the note in half, then sticking it in an envelope, he placed it in the pocket of his sports coat to be delivered on his way back home.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami arrived at the lab a little before five, unsure if she should have come or not after what had happened last Friday. Professor Kitagawa hadn't mentioned anything to her in class, but, then again, he had seemed rather distracted.

She didn't blame him. It had taken almost all her power of concentration that morning to focus on the pop quiz he had given her class, and, even then, Ami was almost certain she had gotten at least one question wrong.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't completely push the memory of the kiss out of her mind.

What did it mean? The logical part of her brain kept telling her it was nothing more than overexcitement about the breakthrough. After all, he was her professor, and there were bound to be rules about that sort of thing. However, she couldn't ignore how wonderful it felt in his arms, or the way her heart had pounded as he brought his lips to hers...

"Stop it, Ami," she ordered herself as she climbed up the stairs leading up to the building. "You're being ridiculous again. You sound like some kind of love-sick schoolgirl. I thought you decided that you weren't going to do this anymore. So what if Kitagawa-sensei happens to be an attractive, intelligent man? He's also your professor, and you shouldn't be thinking of him in that way."

The pep talk helped, and by the time Ami reached the front doors of the research center, she had almost managed to convince herself that the kiss had been nothing more than a silly mistake, devoid of any deeper meaning or attraction. They would probably get a big laugh out of it, then get right back to work.

Holding onto that hope, Ami entered the building and flashed her ID card to the man on duty at the front desk. Usually, the man just waved her by without a second thought, but that evening, he held up his hand, motioning for her to come over.

"Yes?" Ami said, confused by the summons. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"Are you Mizuno Ami-san?"

"Yes, I am. Am I in some sort of trouble?"

"No, not at all," he assured her, much to her relief. "I was just told to give this to you upon your arrival."

Opening one of his desk drawers, he pulled out an envelope labeled with her name and handed it to her.

"Who gave you this?" she asked as she broke the seal.

"Kitagawa-sensei, I believe. You work as his assistant, right?"

"Sensei?" Curious, she pulled out the note and read the short message written on a piece of the school's stationary. It said that her professor had decided to grade papers at home that night instead of working in the lab, so she had the night off. "He's not coming in tonight?"

"He was only here long enough to drop off the note."

Frowning, Ami reread the note one more time before placing it back in the envelope. It definitely wasn't like Professor Kitagawa to cancel a lab session at the last minute, especially for something as minor as grading papers, which could have easily been given to a TA to do. Was he avoiding her because of what had happened?

"Well, I suppose there's no reason for me to stay now," she said, slipping the envelope, along with her ID card, into her purse. "Goodnight, sir, and thank you."

Heading back outside, Ami took a seat on one of the benches near the building, unsure of what she would do with her unexpected night off. She supposed she could go to the library to study, but she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate without some answers to the questions currently swimming around in her mind -- most prominently, why Professor Kitagawa had decided to work at home instead of coming to the lab. His concise, professional note revealed very little of his emotions, and for all Ami knew, his decision had nothing to do with the kiss and he really did have a lot of papers to grade.

But, somehow, she doubted that.

Ami needed some answers. All the what-ifs and second-guessing was slowly driving her insane. If the kiss really had been a stupid, silly mistake made in the heat of the moment, then why was Professor Kitagawa avoiding her? Was it embarrassment? Or something deeper?

Ami reached into her purse, pulled out her address book, and turned to the "K" section. At the beginning of the semester, Professor Kitagawa had given her class his home address and phone number in case they had any questions about an assignment. Finding the entry she made, she saw that he lived at an apartment complex not too far from the college campus.

After a moment of deliberation, Ami decided she would go to his apartment and get her answers once and for all.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he arrived home, Akira took Mercury for a quick walk, then settled down on the couch to grade papers, all the while trying to ignore his thoughts of Mizuno Ami. He succeeded for a while until a soft knock on the door interrupted his concentration.

Opening the door, the last person Akira expected to see on his doorstep was his assistant, holding a cup of steaming coffee in each of her hands.

"A-Ami-chan!" he stuttered, unable to hide his surprise.

His number one student blushed, offering him one of the drinks. "Um…I hope you don't mind me dropping by so unexpectedly," she said, her eyes staring down at her shoes. "I thought you could use some coffee. You like it with two packs of sugar, right?"

"Yeah, thanks," Akira said, hesitantly taking the offered drink before stepping aside, remembering his manners. "Do you want to come in?"

Ami nodded, and stepping inside, was instantly greeted by an excited Mercury, who had come to see what was happening. "Oh, what a cute dog!" she exclaimed, crouching down to pet the barking Corgi.

"That's Mercury," Akira informed her, laughing when the dog started licking her hand. "I think he likes you. Mercury usually isn't that friendly towards people he doesn't know."

"Mercury?" Akira was surprised when Ami suddenly glanced up, her eyes wide. "As in the planet?" she asked. "I didn't know you were an astronomy buff."

Akira smiled, amused by the common mistake. Most people, when he first introduced Mercury, automatically jumped to the wrong conclusion that he was either named after the Roman god or the planet. Nobody ever guessed Mercury's true namesake on the first try. "I do have a mild interest in astronomy," Akira admitted, "but, actually, I named him after the element. I've always found mercury to be one of the more fascinating elements."

"Oh."

"So, what are you doing here, Ami-chan?" he asked, the brief joviality between them disappearing as Ami took a seat on the couch. "Didn't you get my message?" he inquired, realizing as soon as it was out of his mouth that it was a stupid question. "Of course you did, or else you wouldn't have known I was home. But how did you get my address?"

Ami nervously stirred her cup of coffee with a shaking hand, her eyes refusing to meet his. "Um…you gave us your home address and phone number at the beginning of the semester, remember?" she reminded him. "You said we could contact you if we had a question about our work."

"Oh, work!" He fought to hold back a sigh of relief. She hadn't come to discuss the kiss after all. She just needed help with an assignment. "So, what are you having trouble understanding?" Akira asked, setting his coffee down beside the test papers and heading toward the bookshelf. "I noticed you didn't bring your book with you, but that's okay. I have a student copy you can borrow."

"Huh?"

His finger stopping on the bind of the book assigned for Ami's class, Akira turned back to see she had stopped stirring her coffee, and instead was staring at him with wide, confused eyes. His heart sunk as he realized that she had not come for a tutoring session as he had hoped. "I see," he said, bringing his hand back down and sighing. "Ami-chan, if this is about --"

"I just wanted to see if you wanted some help," she interrupted before he could finish, blushing. "I mean, since I was supposed to work tonight, I don't have any other plans, so I thought you might want some help grading the exams."

"The exams?" he repeated, her words not quite sinking in until he glanced over at the stacks of papers sitting on the coffee table. "Oh, the exams! Well, sure, I suppose I could use some help…"

"Great!"

Still not entirely sure what to make of Ami's surprise visit, Akira sat down on the couch, purposely as far away as possible from his pretty student, and handed her the stack he had yet to grade. "Here, you can look over the multiple choice part of the exam," he suggested, also handing her a red pen and the answer key. "If it's wrong, put an 'x' beside the question and circle the right answer. If it's right, leave it blank. Okay?"

She nodded. "Sounds easy enough."

Getting to work, an awkward silence fell between them. No matter how hard he tried, Akira could not concentrate on grading, wondering if Ami really had just come over to help or if she had wanted to see him about the kiss. Certainly, she couldn't have forgotten it so easily. The memory of that moment still burned on his lips like a tattoo, but he didn't dare bring the subject up himself, though he knew he should. As much as he wanted to deny the kiss had ever happened, Akira realized the only way they could get past that misguided moment of passion was to get everything out in the open.

Decided, Akira set down his pen and glanced over at his student, running a hand nervously through his hair. "Um, Ami-chan," he began softly, "I think we need to talk."

"Talk?" Setting her papers aside, Ami reached for the cup of coffee she had set on the table in front of them and took a sip. "Talk about what, sensei?" she asked, her voice slightly trembling. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes…no…well, maybe," he answered, trying desperately to find a way to approach the subject with the least amount of embarrassment as possible. "You, see, about that night… We did something…"

He never got the chance to finish, for at that moment, the uncovered cup of coffee in Ami's shaking hand fell onto her lap, spilling onto her dress and seeping into the fabric of his couch. Horrified, Ami jumped up and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh! I'm such a klutz!" she said, her voice muffled. "I'm so sorry, sensei!"

"It's okay, Ami-chan," Akira replied, heading to the kitchen for some towels to clean up the mess. To be truthful, he was rather glad for the distraction. "Did you burn yourself?"

She shook her head, still staring at the large brown stain on the couch. "No, the coffee was already cool, but your couch…"

"Don't worry about it." Coming back, he handed Ami one of the towels to dry herself off, then kneeled down beside the couch and spritzed it with a special homemade solution he made for such occasions. "This will get that right out," he assured her, using the other towel to rub it in. "For now, why don't I put that dress in the washer before the stain sets?"

"Oh, no. I don't want to be a bother…"

"It's not a problem. Go to my bedroom and look in the second dresser drawer. I have some T-shirts in there you can wear while you wait. The room's the first door on the left."

Ami hesitated, but finally bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, sensei," she said before leaving.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon entering her teacher's bedroom, Ami turned on the lights and immediately shut the door behind her, her breathing heavy and her face brightly flushed. She couldn't believe what a mess she was making of things. Why couldn't she just ask him about the kiss like she planned? If it truly meant nothing, then talking about it shouldn't be so difficult. Right?

The truth was, though, that Ami no longer knew what to think about what happened. She thought she had it figured out, but the moment Professor Kitagawa opened the door, all her resolve flew out the window, replaced by an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh, what have I gotten myself into?" she moaned, looking around the room until her eyes landed on the neatly-made bed.

Ami blushed, suddenly realizing that she was indeed in a man's bedroom. It was her first time, and though the room was rather plain and nondescript, lacking in masculine details except for a couple of anime wall scrolls depicting scantily clad women and some sports memorabilia (mostly baseball), she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Not even in all the times she had visited Mamoru's apartment with Usagi and the others had she ever peeked in his bedroom, much less stepped inside.

"I shouldn't be in here," she whispered to herself. "This is wrong. It's improper. He's not even my boyfriend…"

"Ami-chan, did you find them?" Professor Kitagawa called from the living room, nearly causing Ami to jump out of her skin. "It's the second drawer."

"Oh…uh…" Walking over to the chest of drawers standing in the corner, Ami pulled open the correct drawer and blindly grabbed the first T-shirt she could find. "Yes, I found one!" she called out, quickly shutting the drawer close lest she see something she shouldn't. "I'll be out in a couple of minutes."

"No rush. Take as long as you need."

Sighing, Ami held up the "Rolling Stones" T-shirt she had grabbed and frowned when she noticed that it wasn't very long at all. If she was lucky, it might cover the important parts, but it would have to do. There was no way she was going to dig through Professor Kitagawa's things again for another T-shirt, so taking a deep breath, she undid the buttons on the front of her dress and let the garment fall to the floor.

She felt unbearably self-conscious as she stood in the middle of the room, clad only in her bra and coffee-stained panties. The cool air of the room danced across the exposed areas of her skin, leaving behind tiny goosebumps, and Ami gasped when she noticed the outline of her erect nipples even through the fabric of her bra. Embarrassed, she pulled on the T-shirt and yanked as hard as she could on the hem, hoping against hope that it would somehow grow an extra three inches of fabric.

A knock on the door a few seconds later startled her. "Are you decent, Ami-chan?" Professor Kitagawa asked from the other side. "I'll take that dress now."

"Oh, the dress…" Bending down, Ami picked up her clothes and headed to the door. "Here you go," she said, opening the door only wide enough that she could stick her arm through to hand him the dress.

Unfortunately, the crack was also wide enough for her professor to get a partial glimpse of one of her legs, made longer by the fact that the bottom of the skimpy T-shirt barely skimmed past her hips. As he reached for the dress, Ami saw his eyes momentarily look downward, checking her out, and though it was only for a second, she felt as if her entire body was on fire, burning from embarrassment.

"U-Use the g-gentle cycle, please," she stuttered, refusing to meet him in the eye.

"Y-Yeah!" he replied, equally rattled. "I'll do that."

"T-Thanks.."

Closing the door after he left to put the dress in the washer, Ami exhaled loudly, trying to slow her rapid heartbeat. She really was an idiot. Why on Earth did she ever think it would be a good idea to go to Professor Kitagawa's apartment and confront him about the kiss? She was no good with confrontations in the first place, and the delicate subject matter just made things worse, even without the fact that she was currently standing half-dressed in her male teacher's bedroom.

Ami wished there was some way she could simply leave and forget the whole thing had ever happened, but, until she got her dress back, she was virtually confined to the bedroom. She couldn't even fathom returning back to the living room, dressed as she was, so giving the hem one last tug, she hesitantly took a seat on the edge of the bed and tried to imagine that it belonged to one of her friends. The illusion worked for a little while but shattered when the door creaked opened a short time later and the professor stepped in.

"Your dress should be dry soon, Ami-chan," he announced. "I just transferred it to the dryer."

"Thanks," Ami replied softly, looking down at the clenched fists in her lap. "I'm sorry I caused so much trouble. I'll pay for the damage to the couch."

"Not necessary. The solution got rid of the stain completely."

"Oh."

"Ami-chan?"

"Yes?"

Professor Kitagawa sighed, running a hand through his hair. "About what I wanted to discuss earlier…"

Knowing exactly where he was leading, Ami felt her heart jump to her throat. Whether she liked it or not, it appeared she was going to have to deal with what happened at the lab. "Yes, sensei?"

"What is the real reason you came here tonight?"

Though she was tempted to lie, Ami couldn't force the words to her lips. Gathering all of her courage, she took a deep breath and finally admitted the truth. "I came here to discuss what happened last Friday," she confessed.

"The kiss?" he guessed. "I suspected as much."

The professor took a seat beside her, careful to keep a respectable distance between them. For a long moment, they just sat there, quietly, until Ami couldn't take the silence any longer.

"W-What did it mean?" she finally asked, self-consciously tugging on the T-shirt. "I mean, was it simply excitement over the breakthrough, or…"

"Or was it something more?" he asked, taking the words right out of her mouth. Ami nodded, and he sighed. " I don't know. I've been reliving it over and over in my head, but I haven't gotten any closer to a concrete answer."

"That makes two of us."

"It's very possible that we were simply overwhelmed by the elation of our success," he rationalized. "It _was_ exciting, and it was only natural that we wanted to share that excitement with each other."

"Yes, that's what I was thinking as well," Ami agreed.

"There you go, then. We were caught up in the moment, that's all."

Ami exhaled, feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. How silly of her to think there was something more between her and her teacher. "I'm so relieved!"

"Me, too."

Smiling, the professor glanced over at Ami, his deep green eyes meeting hers, and rested his hand over her own. It was meant only as a friendly gesture, but Ami was surprised to feel a small jolt of electricity run through her body, as if they were two magnets being drawn together from opposite poles. No matter how much she resisted, she couldn't look away.

He really was quite handsome…

If asked later, Ami wouldn't be able to confirm who truly made the first move. They were both drawn to each other, their lips hesitantly coming together in a soft kiss. Ami closed her eyes, surrendering to his touch, and when he brought his hands to the side of her neck, deepening the kiss, she didn't pull away.

A tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered that what she was doing was wrong. He was her professor, a man she greatly admired. If anyone ever found out… But she couldn't deny her feelings any longer.

Moaning, Ami let herself fall back on the bed, their kiss gaining intensity. Sensations she never felt before coursed through her body. His hand found its way to one of her exposed thighs, and as he ran it up and down the sensitive skin, it elicited a surprised gasp from Ami.

"Sorry, Ami-chan," he apologized, immediately stopping to run the hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have done that."

Ami shook her head, shyly reaching for the hand and putting it back where it belonged. "No, I liked it," she assured him. "Don't stop."

"Are you sure?"

In answer, she simply pulled his head back down to her and kissed him, silently encouraging him to resume where he had left off.

As their passion play continued, Ami gradually found herself growing bolder and less inhibited. Her fingers reached for the bottom of his shirt, and grabbing it, she helped pull it over his head, exposing the professor's lightly toned torso. He smiled down at her, and returning the favor, he pushed up her own T-shirt, landing soft butterfly kisses upon her stomach and chest. Ami thought she would die from the overload of sweet torture rising inside of her, and whimpering, she guided his hands to the cups of her bra. Her nipples were hard and erect, evident even through the fabric, and she moaned loudly as the professor began tracing his thumbs over the outline. A few minutes later, he undid the front clasp of her bra and pushed it out of the way.

"Sensei…" she whispered, her fingers raking through his ink-black hair.

Looking up at her, her professor shook his head. "Call me Akira, Ami," he told her before turning his attention back again to her breasts, which were finally free from their confinement. "God, you're beautiful…"

Ami's cheeks burned as the professor -- no, Akira, she reminded herself -- took a nipple into his mouth and gently began to suckle her. Things were moving far quicker than she had intended, but Ami had no desire to stop, her normally good judgment clouded by the pleasure she was receiving. It wasn't until she felt a hand reaching for the elastic waistband of her briefs that the true extent of what they were about to do hit her, and her entire body stiffened.

"Stop!" Ami gasped, her eyes opening to see Akira staring down at her in concern.

Removing his hand from her hip, Akira partially propped himself up and sighed. "I'm moving too fast, aren't I?" he asked. "I'm sorry, Ami. I didn't mean to let things go this far…"

"N-No, that's not it," she stuttered, trying to wrap her mind around the situation. She did want to be with him, truly she did, but Ami knew she couldn't risk ruining the future she had worked so hard to achieve. "It's just that… Well, um… Do you have…?"

Ami blushed, too embarrassed to say the words aloud. Luckily, however, Akira was able to fill in the blanks. He reached over her for the drawer to his nightstand and pulled out a condom. "Protection?" he asked. Ami nodded, and setting the condom aside for later, Akira looked her straight in the eye. "Are you absolutely positive, Ami?" he demanded to know. "If you aren't, then tell me now. We don't have to do this if you aren't ready."

One last warning bell went off in the back of her mind, but ignoring it, Ami reached for his hand and placed it back on her hip.

"I'm ready," she said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Beaten by a girl! I'll never be able to show my face on that court again. I knew I should have taken you to the batting cages instead."

Exiting the elevator of her apartment building, Makoto smiled at her companion's grumbling. Asanuma had shown up unexpectedly at the restaurant after work and challenged her to a game of basketball at the nearby neighborhood court. Since it had been a while since she had gotten the chance to play, Makoto had readily agreed, and, though she was a bit rusty and out-of-practice, she had managed to squeak out a narrow victory over the him. He wasn't taking it very well and had been trying to get a rematch ever since they had left the court.

"It was only by one point, Asanuma-kun," she reminded him, trying to make him feel better about the loss. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides, I doubt anybody was watching."

"Then apparently you failed to notice that group of high school boys standing on the sidelines and checking you out, nearly drowning in their own drool," he teased, causing Makoto to blush.

"They were not!"

"I know what I saw."

"If they were watching anything, it was the way you kept showing off, attempting all those three pointers," she insisted, pulling out her keys as they reached the door of Penthouse 3. "So, would you like to come in for a few minutes? I'll make us some lemonade."

"Sure, lemonade sounds great."

She smiled, and unlocking the door, they entered the dark apartment. "Ami-chan, I'm home," Makoto called out, flipping on the light switch as they slipped out of their shoes. "Sorry I'm late. Asanuma-kun came by after work and we decided to go shoot some hoops."

Surprisingly, however, nobody replied. The living room was empty, and glancing over at the door leading to the kitchen, Makoto could tell the light wasn't on in there either. "That's weird," she commented, looking around the room for a note. "I thought for sure Ami-chan would be home by now."

"Maybe she went to bed early," Asanuma suggested, taking a seat on the couch and wiping away the sweat on his forehead with the bottom of his shirt. The basketball he had carried home sat beside him. "It is pretty late."

"Maybe." Makoto headed to Ami's room and lightly knocked on the door. "Ami-chan?" she called, opening the door a crack and looking inside. She found it also empty, the bed still neatly made and Ami's dolphin-printed pajamas folded and sitting on an armchair in the corner, waiting to be changed into for the night. "She's not here," Makoto announced, coming back to the living room after also checking the bathroom and her own bedroom across the hall.

"Are you sure?"

Makoto nodded, wrapping her arms around her waist. She was beginning to worry. In the year or so since she and Ami had moved in together, her roommate had never stayed out without telling her. Ami always made sure to leave a note or call when she knew she would be late. "I have no idea where she could be…" she murmured to herself.

"Hey, Mako-chan, did you notice you have a message on the answering machine?" Asanuma asked, breaking Makoto from her thoughts.

Makoto, glancing over at the phone, felt some relief when she saw the red light blinking on the machine. That was surely Ami. She walked over to the phone and pushed the button to play the message.

"Mako-chan, it's me, Rei. I'm calling about the double birthday party we're having for Minako-chan and Setsuna-san. It turns out Setsuna-san is allergic to coconut, so it's a no-go on the cake we decided on earlier. We've came up with some ideas, but, since you're making the cake, you have final say. Call me back tomorrow, and I'll go over the list with you. Bye!"

Makoto erased the message, frowning. For a moment, she considered calling Rei back on the off-chance Ami had gone to the shrine, but, if she had, then surely Rei would have mentioned it when she called, so that idea was quickly discarded. Instead, she picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number of Ami's cell, getting her answering service. Makoto left a message asking her to call back, and, upon hanging up, she looked over the list of contacts beside the phone.

One entry immediately stood out from the others as it was the newest number put on the list and written in blue ink instead of the black used for the others. Once again reaching for the phone, Makoto dialed the number of Tokyo University's premier research center.

"Hello, you have reached the Institute of Medical Science," a bored-sounding man answered. "May I help you?"

"I hope so," Makoto said. "I'm looking for my roommate. She's supposed to be working there tonight."

"Name?"

"Mizuno Ami-san. She's Kitagawa-sensei's lab assistant."

"Mizuno-san?" There was a short pause as the man typed something onto his computer. "Would she happen to have short, blue hair and sometimes wears glasses?" he asked.

"Yes, that's her. Is she still there?"

"I'm sorry, miss, but Mizuno-san left hours ago," he replied. "Kitagawa-sensei left her a note explaining that he would not be able to come in tonight, so she decided to leave."

"Oh." Distractedly, Makoto began twirling the phone cord around her finger. "Did she happen to mention where she was going after she left?"

"Sorry, she didn't."

"That's okay," she sighed. "Thank you for your help."

After hanging up the phone, Makoto turned around to find Asanuma standing right behind her, resting a comforting hand on her arm. "Ami-san isn't at the lab either?" he asked softly.

Makoto shook her head, appreciating his concern. It was only Asanuma's presence that kept her from completely losing her mind over her roommate's mysterious absence. "No, apparently her professor took the night off, so Ami-chan left hours ago," she told him, repeating what the man on the phone had told her.

"Maybe she went to the library to do some studying," he suggested.

"The library closed over an hour ago." Sighing, Makoto walked over to the couch and took a seat, all thoughts of the promised lemonade from earlier forgotten. Neither of them were very thirsty anymore. "I have no idea where else she could be," she said, burying her face in her hands. "It isn't like Ami-chan to be out so late without calling."

Taking a seat beside her, Asanuma frowned. "You don't think…something bad has happened, do you?"

Glancing up at Asanuma, Makoto felt her heart tighten in her chest. There were few people outside the senshi and Mamoru who knew her secret identity as Sailor Jupiter, and Asanuma was one of them. She immediately understood what he meant by "something bad," and it made her blood run cold.

Had Ami been attacked by a new enemy? Things had been peaceful ever since Galaxia, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible. And if Ami had come across something, she probably had no way to contact the others. She and the rest of the senshi, including Makoto, had grown lax in wearing their communicators, assuming that they were no longer necessary.

"Come on, let's go look for her," Makoto said, jumping up from the couch and getting in position to transform. "Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-up!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, instead of her faithful alarm clock, Ami was awakened by somebody's wet tongue excitedly licking her cheek. She groaned, and Ami nearly had a heart attack when she slowly opened her eyes and came face-to-face with a pair of dark brown eyes looking down at her from a furry face.

"Mer-Mercury?" she gasped, recognizing the Corgi as Professor Kitagawa's dog.

The dog barked in reply, and Ami felt the mattress shift beneath her as her bedmate rolled over on his side. "Hey, I think he likes you, Ami," the bare-chested man said, smiling as he petted the dog. "Mercury isn't usually so friendly when I have somebody sleep over."

"S-Sensei?"

Ami stared at her professor's pectorals and blushed, the events of last night slowly coming back to her. Had they really…?

She got her answer when the professor climbed out of bed, unashamed of his nakedness, and pulled on a pair of boxers. He headed to the bathroom, and Ami, finally aware of her own nudity, pulled up the sheets to cover her exposed breasts.

"What have I done?" she whispered to herself, sitting up in the bed and distractedly petting Mercury, who had taken it upon himself to rest his head on Ami's lap.

With the passion of the previous night nothing more than a fuzzy memory, Ami realized that she had potentially made a horrible mistake. No, correction -- she _had_ made a mistake. There was no doubt about it. Mizuno Ami simply did not jump into bed with a man she barely knew, especially when that man happened to be one of her professors.

She couldn't believe she had allowed herself to be overtaken by her hormones like that. As a scientist and future doctor, Ami was well aware of the biological urges to engage in sexual activity, but she'd always thought she was somewhat above all that, focused solely on her studies and duties as a senshi.

Apparently, though, even she was only human.

"D-Do you do this often?" Ami asked, feeling the need to fill the silence that had fallen over them with conversation.

"What?" Akira asked from the small bathroom. His voice was slightly muffled as he brushed his teeth.

Embarrassed, Ami pulled the sheets even closer to her. "Have girls sleep over?"

"Nah, you're the first since…last week."

"Oh."

"Ami, it's a joke," he teased, spitting his toothpaste into the sink before coming back to the door. "You're supposed to laugh." Frowning, Akira rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe I need to work on my delivery…"

Ami, relieved to hear that, managed to force out a small, nervous giggle, but it was far from convincing. She gently pushed Mercury off her lap, and gathering the sheets around her, she fashioned a makeshift toga before shuffling over to the bathroom, where Akira had begun shaving his face.

"Your delivery was fine," she assured him. "I'm just not…used to this."

"That's right. I forgot, it was your first time, wasn't it?" he asked, setting down his razor. "Are you sore?"

Until he mentioned it, Ami hadn't even noticed the slight soreness between her legs. The pain was dull, though, and she brushed it off as nothing. "A little, but it's not too bad."

"You sure?"

She nodded and smiled shyly as she leaned against the frame of the door. Ami had to admit that her first time making love to a man was hardly the romantic, world-shattering event she had expected, but it had been a very pleasant experience once she had gotten over her initial discomfort. "I-I feel fine," she said as Akira resumed his shaving. "But now that you know my history…um…"

Ami bit down on her lip, unsure of how to proceed with the question sitting on the tip of her tongue. Despite Akira's assurance that his comment from earlier had been only a joke, it did make her curious as to how many women Akira had slept with before her. He had not been a virgin -- of that she was almost positive, even if there was no physical way to tell with a man. He had known exactly what to do and what to expect, and his technique, though she had nothing to which to compare it, seemed practiced and secure, unlike hers, which had been hesitant and awkward.

"You want to know mine?" Akira guessed once he had finished shaving and washed the rest of the foam off his face.

"Y-Yes, but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said, looking down at the linoleum floor of the bathroom in embarrassment. "I shouldn't have asked. It's really none of my business."

"Ami, after what happened last night, it certainly is your business. You have a right to know." Coming over, Akira rested one hand on her bared shoulder and lifted her chin with the other. "Don't be embarrassed to ask. For all you know, I could have slept with a hundred different women and be infected with every STD known to man."

"You aren't, though, are you?" she asked, her eyes going wide. Ami hadn't even considered the possibility, despite all the lectures and pamphlets her mother had made her read as a supplement to sex education.

Chuckling, Akira shook his head. "Another joke, Ami," he replied, much to her relief, "but the message behind it is serious, as I am sure you are well aware, so go ahead and ask me whatever you want to know about my sexual history. I have nothing to hide."

"Okay… How active are you?"

"Not as active as you seem to think," he answered. "If you want to know the truth, I've only had three other partners before you, and all three were long term relationships. I don't treat sex lightly."

"That's good to know."

Turning back, Akira opened the medicine cabinet above the sink and pulled out an extra powder blue toothbrush for her to use. "Here, I'll let you take a shower while I see if I can find anything for breakfast," he said, handing her the toothbrush and brushing past her to get back to the bedroom. "I'll also get your dress. It should be dry by now."

"Okay, thanks."

Once Akira had left, Ami closed the bathroom door behind him and went over to the sink to brush her teeth. She started to reach for the tube of toothpaste he had left out for her to use, but catching her reflection in the mirror, Ami instead set her toothbrush down on the counter and shyly began unwrapping the sheet she wore around her body, letting it fall to a heap on the floor.

Other than the faint soreness she felt, Ami didn't feel much different from before she had lost her virginity. She wondered if it was the same visually. Of course, logically she knew sex didn't change a person's physical appearance, but maybe other people would see her differently. Maybe she had a different aura or presence, something that would hint to others that she had become a woman.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Ami didn't really see much of a change, but she did notice a couple of bruises on her neck and chest, some even lower on her body, which caused her to furrow her brow in confusion. "Where did these come from?" she wondered aloud, then blushed furiously when she realized they were in fact hickies.

Ami had only seen one once before, a couple of years ago when Usagi came to school unaware Mamoru had given her one on the neck during a make-out session the night before. Still, there was no mistaking that the marks on her body were of the same nature as the one she had seen on Usagi.

Embarrassed, Ami looked away from her reflection and started brushing her teeth. Once that was done, she then got in the shower, warm water pelting down on her as she tried to force herself to calm down and relax.

That was easier said than done. Sometimes, Ami really did wish she could be more like Usagi and Minako. One of the curses of being a so-called "genius" was that her brain worked almost twenty-four/seven, and, whenever she was stressed over a problem or situation, it was difficult to turn it off. No matter how hard she tried to put the previous night out of her mind, she kept remembering how good it had felt and how definitely wrong it was.

Or was it? On an intellectual level, Ami knew that sleeping with her professor was not the smartest idea. In fact, it might have been the single most stupid thing she had ever done in her entire life. If the school ever found out, Akira would most likely be fired and she might be expelled. Yet, a part of her -- the secret part Ami had always denied existed -- didn't care, and the feeling rather scared her.

She was glad her first time had been with him. Akira had been a kind and gentle lover, and there was no denying they had chemistry -- and not the kind he lectured about in class. Whether or not there was love, Ami wasn't sure, but there was definitely mutual attraction and respect.

When looking at it from that point of view, was what they did really all that wrong? If they hadn't been student and teacher and it had happened, wouldn't they deserve the chance to see where things could go between them?

Turning off the showerhead, Ami groaned as she leaned her forehead against the tiled walls, water dripping down her body.

"What am I supposed to do?"

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Exiting the bedroom after putting on some pants, the first thing Akira did was head to the dryer and pull out Ami's dress. It was dry, but unfortunately, also very wrinkly after being left in the dryer overnight. Frowning, he pulled down the board hidden behind a panel beside the washer and plugged in the iron. He then got to work, silently cursing himself as he smoothed out the wrinkles.

Though he had tried to pretend everything was normal when he woke up that morning and discovered Mizuno Ami sleeping next to him in his bed, Akira could no longer ignore the facts. He had slept with one of his students, and, even worse, taken her virginity. What was he thinking?

No, that was the problem. He hadn't been thinking last night. If he had been, he would have put a stop to it before things went too far. An imprudent kiss given in the heat of the moment was one thing, but taking her to bed… No wonder Ami had seemed so jittery and embarrassed when she got out of bed. She probably felt as if he had taken advantage of her, which was most likely true. She had consented, yes, but hormones had a way of making people do things they normally wouldn't have done under different circumstances.

Why hadn't he heeded Dr. Nakajima's warnings, especially after he had that dream? The older man obviously had seen something Akira couldn't, or, more than likely, wouldn't allow himself to see. As ridiculous as his suspicions had sounded at the time, Dr. Nakajima had been right. Akira _was_ attracted to Ami. She was smart, kind, and unbelievably beautiful, the three things he looked for in a woman. Quite frankly, if he hadn't felt anything for her, he would have thought there was something wrong with him.

"I really am an idiot," he muttered to himself, turning off the iron after getting out the last stubborn wrinkle.

After putting his ironing supplies back where they belonged, he draped the pretty yellow frock over his arm and headed back to the bedroom, knocking lightly on the door. When nobody answered, Akira assumed Ami was still safely in the bathroom taking her shower, so he pushed the door open and laid the dress on the trunk at the foot of his bed where she would be certain to see it when she came out. He then turned to leave, but hearing the soft hissing sound of water running, Akira paused, an image of his student's glistening, wet body flashing in his mind.

He wondered, would she mind if he joined her?

"No, stop thinking of her like that!" he ordered himself aloud, fighting his arousal. "What are you? Fifteen, again?"

Just then, he heard the water stop. Akira jumped, and realizing that meant Ami would probably be coming out in a matter of seconds, he hurried back to the kitchen to get the breakfast he promised.

A few minutes later, Ami emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed in her clothes from yesterday and her wet, blue-black hair slicked back behind her ears. She appeared to have overcome some of her nervousness from earlier, but still, she averted her eyes as she entered the kitchen and took a seat at the small table.

"Cocoa Puffs?" she asked, surprised when Akira set a bowl in front of her and began pouring the chocolate cereal. It was the first thing she had spoken since she sat down.

Akira shrugged as he took the seat across from her. "Sorry, it was the best I could do on such short notice," he apologized sheepishly. "I don't keep much food around here since I usually eat my meals on the run. I guess I could run out and get us something from McDonalds if you would prefer something hot…"

"No, don't go through any trouble," she said, shaking her head as she reached for the milk. "Cocoa Puffs are fine. I love them."

After that brief exchange, they each turned their attention to their breakfast, an uncomfortable silence falling between them. Neither of them wanted to broach the subject that Akira suspected was weighing heavily on both their minds. How exactly did one act in the situation in which they had foolishly gotten themselves into?

Setting down his spoon, Akira cleared his throat, deciding he might as well be the one to get things started. Ami obviously had no intention of discussing last night any further.

"Well…this is strange, isn't it?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as casual as possible.

She nodded. "A little," she agreed, her gaze still focusing on the bowl of half-eaten cereal in front of her.

"Do you regret it? What we did last night?"

Her eyes finally glanced up, and involuntarily, Akira drew in a breath. Selfishly, he wanted her to say she had wanted him as badly as he had wanted her, that he had not taken advantage of her and stolen her innocence. What they had done was wrong, but at least if he knew for certain that she had had been a willing participant, it would lift some of the burden of his guilt.

Ami was quiet for a long moment as she considered the question. She then set her spoon down beside her bowl and placed her hands in her lap. "No, I don't regret last night," she answered, her voice soft but amazingly calm considering. "I thought about it a lot while I was in the shower, and while in my head, I know it was wrong, in my heart…I was glad it was you."

"Really?" Akira asked, surprised by the response.

She shyly smiled at him. "You're an excellent teacher," Ami remarked.

The innuendo behind those word didn't fail to get past him, and Akira actually blushed, the tables turned. "Thanks, I guess…" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"But what about you?" Ami asked. "Do you regret it?"

Did he regret it? That was a question Akira wasn't quite sure he could answer. If he had met Ami at some other place, at some other time, the answer would be "no." After all, he was a single, sexually-active, adult male who had soberly and responsibly slept with a woman he happened to find attractive; it wasn't as if he hadn't done it before, though his previous encounters had all been in committed relationships. In normal circumstances, he probably wouldn't give it a second thought. However, she was his student, and that made the situation far more complicated than just a one-night stand.

"Ami, listen to me," Akira said, running a hand nervously through his hair. "I am attracted to you -- unbelievably attracted. You're smart, sweet, and sexy as hell, and if you weren't one of my students, I would very much enjoy pursuing a relationship with you…"

"But?"

"But you are one of my students, and the fact remains that most people would consider what happened last night strictly taboo."

"I know." Ami reached across the table, placing her hand over his. "But who cares what other people think? We were two consenting adults; we didn't do anything illegal."

"It doesn't matter. If anybody found out about this, I could lose my job and your reputation would be ruined." Akira sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think we made a mistake last night. I shouldn't have let things progress so far. And the worst thing of all is that I took something of yours that you will never get back."

"You didn't take anything I didn't want to give," Ami insisted, "and if you care about me the way I care for you, then I don't see anything wrong or dirty about what we did or why it has to end."

"Ami, are you listening to me? We can't continue this relationship, no matter how much we both might want it. Last night has to be a one-time thing."

"Does it? As long as nobody finds out about us, what is the harm?"

At a loss about what to say to convince his student that a relationship between them would be a bad idea, Akira stood from his chair and poured himself a cup of fresh coffee, hoping the jolt of caffeine would help wake up his brain.

Neither of them were thinking straight at the moment, their night of forbidden pleasure still too fresh in their memories. They needed to be smart about what had happened. As romantic and exciting as a clandestine affair sounded, Akira knew it just wasn't logical, and he was sure Ami would come to the same conclusion herself eventually, once what they had done had truly sunk in.

"You deserve better than a secret lover," Akira said finally after a long silence, setting his half-empty mug down on the counter behind him. "Don't you want a boyfriend you can show off to your friends and not worry about who will see us?"

Shaking her head, Ami rose from her seat and walked over to where he stood. Her hands, hesitant at first, found their way to his shoulders, and deep blue eyes, the color of finest sapphire, stared up at him, pleading. "All I want is you, Akira," she declared, her soft voice nevertheless filled with conviction.

His resolve weakened, Akira smiled down at his new lover, brushing a wet strand of hair out of her eyes. "That's the first time you ever called me that," he said.

"And it won't be the last."

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When Ami arrived back at the penthouse later that morning to change clothes before her first class of the day, she was careful to make as little noise as possible as she pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. It wasn't until she had entered the apartment building that Ami remembered that she had completely forgotten to call Makoto the previous night; thus she hoped her roommate was still in bed so that she could have some time to make up a suitable excuse for staying out all night. Unfortunately, though Makoto was asleep when she came in, the brunette had decided to camp out on the living room couch, more than likely waiting for her to come home, and green eyes popped opened as soon as Ami closed the door behind her.

"Ami-chan, where in the world have you been?" Makoto demanded to know after glancing at the clock, sitting up and rubbing the final remnants of sleep out of her eyes. "Do you realize how worried I've been?"

Her heart jumping in her throat as she turned back around, Ami felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. She mentally cursed her bad luck. What could she possibly tell Makoto about last night? She couldn't exactly say, "I spent the night at my professor's apartment, and oh, by the way, I lost my virginity."

"S-Sorry, Mako-chan," Ami stuttered, her mind racing as she tried desperately to come up with a cover story. "I know I should have called…"

"Why didn't you?"

"Um…why didn't I call? Well…" Closing her eyes, Ami blurted out the first excuse she could think of. "The battery in my cell went dead," she said, hoping Makoto would believe her.

The brunette on the couch frowned, obviously not buying the story. "And there wasn't another phone you could have used?" Makoto asked, standing and crossing her arms over her chest. Ami noticed she hadn't even changed into her nightclothes, still dressed in jeans and a Cutie Honey T-shirt. "Where were you, Ami-chan?" she inquired again. "I know you weren't at the labs all night. I called the front desk, and they told me Kitagawa-sensei didn't come in last night except to leave you a note, which you had picked up a couple of hours before I called. You really worried me! I even went looking around the neighborhood for a while as Jupiter, thinking maybe a new enemy had begun its attack and you were in trouble. I didn't find anything, but if you hadn't returned when you did, I was going to call the police."

Hearing that, Ami looked down, ashamed. Makoto was such a good friend, worrying about her like that. Ami was unaccustomed to having somebody looking after her. During her teenage years, she had pretty much come and gone as she pleased. Her mother was always so busy with her duties at the hospital, days could go by without them even crossing paths. Her workaholic tendencies had made it very easy to keep her mother in the dark about her secret life as Sailor Mercury, but it was becoming obvious that Ami wouldn't be able to do the same with Makoto.

"Mako-chan, I didn't mean to make you worry," Ami said apologetically. "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble…"

Makoto sighed, pushing back a loose strand of curly hair behind her ear. "It's okay," she replied, "but I really think I deserve an explanation. You still haven't told me where you spent the night."

"An explanation?"

Ami knew she was stalling, but she didn't know what else to do. A part of her wished she could tell Makoto about what happened with Akira. There were so many questions she had for her slightly more experienced roommate. Excluding her brief infatuation -- if it could even be called that -- with Mercurious, her arch rival during the high school practice exams whom she had never even met, Ami had never been in a true relationship before. In fact, she still broke out in hives whenever she received a love letter, though not as badly as she used to. Dating was a complete mystery to her, and, while Makoto had gotten her heart broken by the sempai from her former school and hadn't dated anybody seriously since, that was still more than Ami could claim. On top of that, Ami absolutely hated lying, especially to one of her closest and dearest friends. However, at least for the moment, she understood it was prudent for her not to say anything, even to Makoto. Ami doubted she would intentionally reveal their secret affair, but there was always a risk of Makoto slipping up and saying something damaging.

"The truth is," Ami began after a long pause, taking a deep breath, "I went to my mother's. She's been wanting to spend more time together, and, since Kitagawa-sensei gave me the night off and I knew okaa-san didn't have a shift, I decided I would surprise her with a visit. We spent most of the night catching up, and by the time I realized how late it had gotten, the buses had stopped running, so I just stayed there for the night. That's all."

"But why didn't you use Mizuno-sensei's phone to call and let me know?"

"I guess I forgot. Like I said, it was really late when I decided to stay, and I was tired. I'm sorry."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." Ami still didn't know whether her roommate believed her or not, but the brunette smiled and pulled her into a hug. "The important thing is that you're home and you're safe," she declared, giving Ami a hearty squeeze before pulling away and wagging a stern finger in her face. "But the next time you decide to pull an all-nighter…"

"I'll remember to call. Promise."

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As soon as Ami had left for class, Makoto went over to the phone and dialed Asanuma's number. After they had spent half the night walking the streets of Tokyo looking for Ami with no success, she had promised him she would call the second she heard any news.

"Hello," a tired male voice answered after the third ring. It sounded as if he had gotten about the same amount of sleep she had, which wasn't much. "Asanuma speaking."

"Asanuma-kun, it's me. Sorry about the early call."

"Mako-chan?" His voice perked up a little. "Did you hear from Ami-san? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Makoto assured him. "She just came home a little while ago to change for her classes."

"That's good to hear. I know how worried you were about her. Did she tell you where she spent the night and why she didn't call?"

Makoto frowned, remembering the strange excuse Ami had given her when she came home. "Well, Ami-chan claims that she spent the night at her mother's apartment. Evidently, she went over for a visit when Kitagawa-sensei cancelled the lab session and lost track of time."

"Claims? You don't sound like you're very convinced."

"I'm not sure I am, to be honest with you," she confessed, feeling terrible for doubting Ami's story, yet unable to shake the suspicion that something wasn't quite adding up. "I mean, it's a perfectly plausible story, but I don't get why Ami didn't call me. She says the battery on her cell was dead, but she could have used her mother's phone."

"Maybe she forgot?" he suggested, to which Makoto started shaking her head, though she knew he couldn't see her.

"That's what she says happened, but Ami usually doesn't forget things like that."

"There's always a first time for everything, I guess. Besides, what reason would Ami-san have to lie to you, Mako-chan?"

Asanuma had a point. Try as she might, Makoto couldn't come up with one single explanation for Ami wanting to lie to her about her whereabouts the previous night. Maybe the story really was as simple as Ami forgetting to call. Even geniuses were allowed to forget things occasionally.

Still, Makoto couldn't ignore her gut feeling that sensed Ami had not told her the whole story. Something had been different about her roommate that morning. Makoto couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but there was definitely something "off" about her.

"Maybe you're right, Asanuma-kun," Makoto said with a sigh, deciding to keep her suspicions to herself. With no proof, nobody would believe her even if she tried to explain her feelings. It wasn't as if she was known for her intuitive feelings like Rei and Michiru were. "Maybe I am thinking too much about it. Ami-chan's not the type to lie."

"The important thing is that she came home safe and sound. At least she wasn't attacked by a new enemy or anything like that, right?"

Actually, the thought that maybe Ami had been attacked the night before briefly crossed her mind, but Makoto was reasonably sure that Ami would not keep something as important as that a secret, not when the fate of the world might be at stake. "Right."

"Anyway, I should probably get ready for class," he said, fighting back a yawn, "not that I'll be able to pay much attention…"

"I'm sorry for keeping you out so late last night," Makoto apologized.

"It's fine. I was happy to help you look for Ami-san."

"Thank you again for that. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there to keep me sane…"

"It was nothing. Anytime."


	7. Chapter 7

Untangling herself from her sleeping lover's embrace, Ami slipped out of bed and pulled a robe over her nightgown. It was nearing two o'clock in the morning according to the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand beside Akira's bed, but Ami was far too happy to sleep, her body still tingling with the memory of the sensations she had felt earlier that evening as they made love.

Quietly, careful not to wake Akira or the dog sleeping on the floor beside the bed, Ami made her way to the living room and onto the small balcony outside Akira's apartment. The night air as she stepped outside was cool against the exposed areas of her skin, and, instinctively, Ami drew the short kimono-style robe she wore closer against her body as she leaned against the cast iron railing surrounding the balcony.

"What a beautiful night," she murmured to herself, her eyes lifted upwards toward the heavens.

Not a single cloud was in sight, providing a spectacular view of the night sky. Stars shimmered like glitter on black velvet, and the regal moon, currently in its crescent phase, shone luminously, its reflection dancing upon the water mirror of the building's outdoor swimming pool. Closing her eyes, Ami made a wish on Polaris, the North Star, hoping the happiness she felt at that moment would last forever.

Over two months had passed since that fateful night when she and Akira had first made love, and never once had she regretted her decision to keep seeing him, in spite of the fact that he was still her professor. It was difficult at times to keep their relationship a secret, especially from her friends, but, in her heart, Ami knew, in the end, it would be worth it. Akira made her feel like no other man had had made her feel before.

She was startled from her thoughts when she heard the glass door leading out onto the balcony slide open, disturbing the peaceful quiet of the night.

"There you are," a husky male voice said, yawning. "I was wondering where you had run off to."

Looking over her shoulder, Ami smiled. "Oh, Akira, did I wake you?" she asked. "I'm sorry. I tried to be quiet--"

Akira, dressed only in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, shook his head, a soft breeze gently tousling his messy, dark hair. "No, I had to get up to take a leak and noticed you were gone," he said, rubbing his arms in response to the late autumn coolness. "What are you doing out here, anyway? You do realize it's nearly two o'clock in the morning?"

"I was just thinking."

Smiling, Akira came up behind Ami and wrapped his arms around her waist. "About what?" he murmured in her ear.

"About…"

Her face flushed, Ami stared down at the swimming pool, wondering what he would think if she told him the truth. Did Akira ever think of her as she did him? She suspected he did, but due to her inexperience in the relationship department, she couldn't be certain. They always had a wonderful time together, but what if he only thought of her as a fling?

No, she wouldn't pressure him. Not now. She couldn't take that risk.

"I was just thinking how nice it would be to go for a swim," she lied instead.

"Well, why don't we?" he suggested, causing Ami's eyes to go wide.

"Akira, it's the middle of the night! Not to mention that it's early December. That water is probably near freezing!"

"So? Haven't you ever heard of the Polar Bear Club? It's supposed to be quite invigorating."

As Sailor Mercury, Ami might have been accustomed to the cold of her attacks, but even she had her limits. Just the thought of jumping into a pool of freezing water brought chills down her spine.

"The pool's probably not even open," she pointed out. "Besides, I didn't bring a swimsuit."

"Who says we need them?"

Before she could even find the voice to object to what he was suggesting, Akira was heading down the building's fire escape.

"Akira, what are you doing?" Ami asked, her voice dropping to a loud whisper as she leaned over the rail. "Are you insane?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he said, climbing back up a couple of rungs. "Come on. Live a little."

"B-But --"

"You're the one who wanted to go swimming, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Ami, don't worry," he assured her. "Nobody will see us, I promise. The entire building's asleep."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, come on."

He once again started down the fire escape as Ami debated whether or not to go with him. The entire idea was beyond crazy, but she couldn't deny a part of her felt like doing something a little wild for once. Against her better judgment, Ami finally decided to throw caution to the wind and followed Akira down the ladder, her heart pounding in a combination of anticipation and anxiety.

About a third of the way down, Ami heard a low whistle coming from below her. Fearing they had been caught, she looked down and saw Akira had paused to look up her nightgown, which was flapping slightly in the wind.

"Man, what a view!" he whispered loudly, causing Ami to blush when she remembered she wasn't wearing any underwear.

In her normal voice, she exclaimed "Akira!" while trying her best to hold down the nightgown, a near impossible feat when she needed at least one hand on the ladder at all times. Akira snickered at her modesty, but then, suddenly remembering where they were, brought a finger to his lips, shushing her.

"Shh… Do you want somebody to hear us?"

Ami shook her head, definitely not wanting that to happen, and they continued their way down the fire escape, keeping quiet the rest of the way. When Akira made it to the ground, he reached up and placed his hands on her hips, helping her hop down from the ladder.

"I can't believe you talked me into this!" Ami exclaimed as Akira set her safely on the ground.

"Oh, don't worry. It'll be fun, Ami," he promised.

Taking her hand, Akira led her to the gate of the fence surrounding the pool, which, as Ami had suspected, was locked, a closed sign hanging from the latch.

"See? I told you it was closed," she said, letting out a small sigh of relief. "Let's go back upstairs."

Ami turned to go back inside, but Akira refused to give up just yet. He reached for her wrist and pulled her back. "And miss out on a romantic moonlit swim? I don't think so," he replied, grabbing the padlock of the chain holding the gate close. With a swift yank, he easily managed to unlock it. "I've heard rumors that this lock has been broken for a couple of days," he explained when Ami gave him a surprised look. "The building's manager just makes it appear locked so the parents won't complain."

"That's horrible! What if some kid snuck out here and managed to open it? It's dangerous!"

"I'll tell you what, if you agree to stay, first thing tomorrow morning, I'll file a formal complaint with the tenants' association," he promised.

Ami rolled her eyes. "Great, you're forcing me to choose between skinny-dipping and endangering a child's life?"

"You make me sound so heartless," he complained, though smiling as he lifted the latch and opened the gate. "You know I'm going to do it anyway, so stay. We've already gotten this far. Might as well go all the way."

"Well…" Ami hesitated, but seeing that Akira had no intention of leaving without his swim, she sighed and followed Akira inside. "Fine, I'll go."

"You made the right choice," he said, grinning.

Once they were both on the other side of the fence, Akira made sure to close the gate and "relock" it so that it appeared as if nobody had broken in. He then walked to the edge of the pool, and as Ami watched, peeled off his pajama pants and boxers. Akira tossed the discarded clothes onto one of the lounge chairs that surrounded the pool, and, with a playful wink in Ami's direction, he gracefully dived in, surfacing a few seconds later.

"Come on!" Akira called, pushing the wet hair back from his face. "What are you waiting for? The water's great."

"I still don't know about this, Akira," Ami confessed, taking a seat on another one of the lounge chairs and self-consciously crossing her legs. "Why don't you stay in there, and I'll serve as lookout?"

"Because it's not as much fun without you." Swimming over to the edge, Akira folded his arms and propped himself half-out of the water. "You can't tell me you aren't at least a bit tempted. You never would have followed me down the fire escape if you weren't."

"Yes, well…"

"Ami, we aren't going to get caught, if that is what you are so worried about," he assured her for what seemed like the thousandth time, pointing back at the building. "Look, the only lights on are in my apartment. Everybody else is asleep."

It was true. Ami glanced behind her and found the entire building dark, the sole light coming from a room on the fifth floor which she knew was Akira's. The fact made her feel a little bit better, and she stood up, walking over to the pool.

"I guess you're right," she admitted, her hand reaching for the belt of her robe, though she didn't immediately untie it. "Umm…could you turn around, Akira?"

Akira chucked. "Why? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

"I know," she said sheepishly, "but I'll feel better if you don't watch."

"Sure, whatever you want."

Once Akira had turned completely around in the water, humming loudly to himself, Ami inhaled deeply and untied the belt with shaking hands. She shrugged out of the robe, shivering slightly as the crisp, late-fall breeze hit her until-then-unexposed skin, and tossed it on the chair with Akira's clothes. She then pulled down the thin spaghetti straps of her nightgown and closed her eyes as the satiny fabric slid off her body and onto the ground in a pool around her feet.

 _That wasn't so bad_ , Ami thought, kicking the nightgown aside and wrapping her arms around herself. Already, she noticed goosebumps appearing on her flesh, and her nipples were so hard and erect that she barely managed to keep from gasping when her hand brushed against one of them. Who would have thought this would be so…arousing?

"Ami, you haven't changed you mind again, have you?" Akira, still acting the gentleman, asked when a couple of minutes had passed and she had yet to jump into the pool. "You know, if you really don't want to do this, I won't force you. I just thought it would be fun."

"N-No, I'm doing it," Ami declared. "Just give me a minute."

Coming to the edge of the pool, she took a couple of deep breaths to soothe her nerves before finally diving into the calm, blue waters. Contrary to what Akira claimed, the water was near freezing, but oddly exhilarating in a way. Ami swam to where she could see her lover's legs and surfaced in front of him, making sure to splash a little water in his direction once she had caught her breath.

"You big liar!" she playfully accused. "You said that it wasn't cold!"

"Did I?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I recall saying that the water felt great, but I never said anything about it not being cold."

"Yes, well…" Ami made a face. He had gotten her there. Technically, Akira never mentioned anything about the temperature, but he had certainly led her to believe the water was at least a little warm. "Still!"

Laughing, Akira swam up next to her, his arms enveloping her in an embrace. "Good thing we have each other to keep us warm, huh?" he murmured, leaving a trail of kisses down her face.

"Mmm…"

Their lips eventually found their way to each other, and all thoughts of the icy water around Ami melted away as she fervently responded to the heat sparking between them. His kisses felt like fire in her mouth, sending warm feelings all throughout her body -- most noticeably to a certain private spot between her legs. Longing to feel him inside her, Ami started to wrap her legs around his waist, but, much to her disappointment, just as he was about to enter, Akira decided to pull away, smirking at the crestfallen look Ami was almost positive she was wearing on her face.

"Hey, how about a race?" he suggested as casually as if they were two friends who had happened to run into each other at the gym pool.

"A r-race?" Ami repeated, dumbfounded. What had happened to the romantic moonlit swim they were supposed to be having?

"Sure." Akira jerked his thumb in the direction of the opposite end of the pool. "What do you say? Hundred meter freestyle?"

"I-I guess…"

Ami followed Akira to the end of the pool, wondering what in the world had gotten into him. Certainly he would much rather be with her than swimming some race. Maybe it was because he hadn't brought a condom down with him from the apartment, but it would have been okay with her. Soon after their first night together, she had gone to her gynecologist to get on birth control pills, and Akira had insisted he get tested for STDs, all tests coming back clean. Even without the condom, they were still fairly safe from their main concern, so she had no idea why he had pushed her away.

Needless to say, Ami was feeling rather rejected from the brush-off, but she should have known better. Once they reached their starting places at the far end of the pool, Akira swam over to Ami's side. Instantly, she noticed a familiar look in his eyes, and, even though he had yet to say a word, Ami's cheeks reddened.

"Let's make this thing interesting," Akira said. "Loser has to…"

The rest he whispered in her ear, and, if it was possible, Ami felt her entire body blush as Akira described, in great detail, exactly what the loser would have to do to the winner.

"Akira!" she exclaimed when he had finished his X-rated tale.

Akira grinned, obviously quite proud of himself. "Got any better ideas?"

"No, not really…"

"Then my wager it is," he declared, heading back to his side of the pool. "Ready…set…go!"

Akira took the early lead, but Ami quickly caught up to him, her body still in great shape, though it seemed like forever since she had last gotten the chance to practice. They were nearly neck and neck all the way to the turnaround when Ami pulled ahead. After that, it was Akira's turn to play catch up, but, though he was an above-average swimmer, he never could quite bridge the gap between them. Ami won the race by half a length.

"How did you do that, Ami?" Akira asked, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "That was amazing!"

Embarrassed by the compliment, Ami looked down. "I'm not that great," she modestly insisted.

"Not that great? I'm wondering how the Toudai swim team managed to leave you off their roster."

"They asked me to join last year, but I don't really have time for that kind of thing anymore," she confessed.

"Well, in any case, I do believe congratulations are in order," Akira said, swimming back over to her side of the pool. "And as the loser, I am fully prepared to pay my bet."

"Here?" Ami's voice squeaked as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Why not?"

"I can think of a thousand reasons not…"

"I told you, Ami, nobody will see us," he reminded her, lifting her up to sit on the edge of the pool and spreading her legs apart. "Just relax and enjoy yourself."

Ami began to protest, but the words died on her lips as Akira worked his magic.

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Yui couldn't sleep.

She was spending the night at Hideki's apartment, laying wide awake in his bed as her boyfriend lightly snored beside her. It wasn't his snoring that was preventing her from sleeping, though, as Yui had learned to drown out the noise long ago. No, her mind was focused on the calculus problem from Professor Azuma's class that she had been unable to solve before Hideki had insisted she take a "break" from her homework, and it was driving her crazy that she couldn't figure it out.

 _Since the variable is being raised to a variable power, I can't use the ordinary rules of differentiation. I need to revise it first by applying the natural logarithm to both sides of the equation and using the algebraic properties of logarithms. Then I differentiate both sides of the equation by using the chain rule…_

That was it!

Yui sat up and grabbed the notebook sitting on the nightstand beside the bed, along with a small reading light from the drawer that she could wear on her head. She turned the light on and excitedly began calculating the new figures, not even noticing when the snoring stopped and Hideki rolled over on his side.

"Yui, what are you doing? Do you have any idea what time it is?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"I just have to finish this problem," she explained, not even looking up from the paper.

Hideki groaned. "What have I told you about doing your homework in bed?"

"I'm sorry, but I just figured out what I was doing wrong in this problem, and, if I don't write it down, I'll probably forget in the morning."

"Well, would you mind going to the other room?" he asked, squinting as Yui finally glanced over at him, accidentally shining the light in his eyes. "I can't sleep when you're wearing that thing."

"Fine," she sighed, climbing out of bed. "I need to get my calculator from my bag, anyway."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

As Hideki flipped over and tried to go back to sleep, Yui pulled a robe over the long T-shirt she had borrowed from Hideki and headed to the kitchen with notebook in hand. She fixed herself a healthy midnight snack of cheese and crackers, then went out onto the balcony, grabbing her calculator from the living room along the way.

On the balcony, Hideki had recently brought out a small, rickety, second-hand table and a couple of lawn chairs to serve as patio furniture. Yui took a seat in one of the chairs and got to work on her problem, almost finished when she heard a faint scream in the distance. Her concentration broken and annoyed by the interruption, Yui set down her pencil and went over to the rail to see what the commotion was about.

"What the…"

Her eyes could barely comprehend the sight that greeted her when she looked down at the apartment building's outdoor swimming pool. Despite the fact that it was early December, there were two swimmers in the pool -- though swimming was obviously the last thing on their mind. A dark-haired girl, as naked as the day she was born, sat on the edge of the pool, propped up on her elbows and her legs spread apart, and between those legs was the head of her lover, gender unknown since his or her body was mostly underwater. Yui narrowed her eyes in disapproval at the exhibitionists, then headed back inside, leaving her things behind.

She immediately went back to Hideki's bedroom and rather roughly began shaking him awake. "Hideki! Hideki! Wake up!"

Groaning, her boyfriend rolled onto his back and blinked. "Yui?"

"Hideki, somebody's in the pool."

"What?" Alarmed, Hideki tossed his blanket aside and half-sat up. "Are they in trouble? Is somebody drowning?"

"No, not exactly…" she admitted, rather sheepishly.

Hideki laid back down and sighed. "I can't believe you woke me up just to inform me of some idiot who decided it would be fun to take a midnight dip in December," he groused, flipping back over onto his side and pulling the blanket over his head. "Goodnight, Yui."

Before he could go back to sleep, though, Yui grabbed the blanket and threw it off of him. She then took Hideki's arm, dragging him out of the warm bed.

"What now?" he asked, visibly annoyed as Yui continued pulling him toward the door.

"I want you to see what they're doing," she said. "Come on!"

"Can't I at least pull some pants on?" he pleaded, indicating his current sleepwear. Hideki was clad only in a pair of boxers and an undershirt.

"It'll only be for a moment."

"Fine." Hideki allowed himself to be dragged onto the balcony, rubbing his arms and dancing around as soon as they stepped outside. "Geez, it's freezing out here, Yui!" he complained.

Yui ignored him, walking to the rail and pointing to the couple in the pool. They were still going at it, and if Yui blocked out Hideki's whining about the cold, she could almost hear the dark-haired girl's moans of pleasure. "Look!" she ordered.

Ceasing his ranting, Hideki came up beside Yui. His hazel eyes widened as he looked downwards at the pool. "Are they doing what I think they're doing?" he asked.

"Disgusting, isn't it?" Yui narrowed her eyes. "Whatever happened to common decency? People swim in that pool!"

"To be fair, other than those two nuts, nobody is crazy enough to go swimming this late in the year…"

"It doesn't matter!" she spat, surprised Hideki wasn't as upset as she was about what the two skinny-dippers were doing in his building's pool. "They're trespassing and engaging in a lewd sexual act right where everybody can see them. It's wrong!"

A small smile crossed Hideki's lips. "Oh, Yui, loosen up," he said. "Haven't you ever fantasized about doing something like that before?"

"Absolutely not!" Yui exclaimed, horrified her boyfriend would even suggest such a thing. "And if you think I'm the type of girl who would ever have sex with you in public, I'm sorry to disappoint you. It's never going to happen."

"Hell, I would be happy with more plain, old, private sex," he muttered, earning him a slap on the arm.

"Be grateful you get anything at all, you perv!"

Turning his attention back to the pool, Hideki wisely dropped the subject and brought the conversation back to the two skinny dippers. "So, who do you think they are?" he asked, leaning against the rail and squinting. As it was nighttime and the pool was poorly lit, it was difficult to make out the identities of the trespassers. "Somebody from the building?"

To be honest, Yui didn't particularly care who they were, promptly turning away from the dirty act. The whole shameful thing disgusted her. "I don't know, but somebody ought to tell them to stop," she said, propping her elbows on the rail.

"What do you suggest we do?" Hideki asked, an incredulous look on his face as he turned toward her. "Go down there ourselves and tell them to go get a room?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Hideki. Just call the manager and have him take care of it."

"Fukami-san? Do you know how old that man is? He's liable to have a heart attack coming across a scene like that!"

"Does Fukami-san have a history of heart problems?"

"None I'm aware of, no."

"Then call him," Yui said with a dismissive wave of her hand toward the telephone inside. "I'm sure his heart will be fine."

"Can I go back to bed after I do?"

"Of course."

"Fine, I'll call him," Hideki finally agreed, heading back inside. He held the glass door open. "Yui, you coming?"

"Yeah," she nodded, gathering her things before taking one last final look down at the couple in the pool. "Perverts," she muttered to herself.

What was wrong with the world?

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Back down in the pool, Akira was on the verge of making Ami scream with pleasure for the second time that night. Once she had realized that nobody was going to come across them, Ami had significantly relaxed from her tenseness of earlier, and, if her throaty moans were any indication, she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

Suddenly, without warning, Ami's entire body tensed. At first, Akira assumed she was bracing herself for an orgasm, but when he didn't hear the scream that usually accompanied the high point, he looked up to see his lover's eyes wide with what could only be described as terror.

"Ami? What's wrong?"

She sat back up, modestly using her arm to cover her exposed breasts. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"What?" Akira couldn't hear a thing.

"Listen!" she said, bringing a finger to her lips. Akira then heard what had gotten Ami so panicked -- a low bass voice humming a Japanese folk song which sounded as if it was getting nearer instead of further away. "That," she answered needlessly.

"Oh, damn," Akira cursed.

He recognized that voice. Mr. Fukami, the octogenarian manager of his apartment building, had a habit of singing folk songs whenever he was making his rounds. The particular song he was humming at the moment was one of his favorites.

"I thought you said nobody would be awake. Who is it?"

"The manager. Somebody must have called him."

"The manager?" Ami went as pale as a sheet. "What are we going to do, Akira?"

Running his hand through his wet hair, Akira tried not to panic. They could still escape detection if they worked fast. He quickly came up with a plan and pointed over at the chair that held their clothes.

"Ami, I want you to get our things and hide behind that chair over there," he ordered. "Fukami-san's sight isn't as it used to be, so I don't think he will notice you if you are careful to be quiet."

"What about you?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he promised, giving her hand a light squeeze.

Ami hesitated. "B-But --"

"Ami, go! Before he comes. Hurry!"

Hearing the urgency in his voice, Ami finally got over her frozen terror and ran over to the chair. She grabbed the clothes, ducked behind the furniture, and covered herself the best she could with her dark blue robe, virtually invisible in the darkness. Akira could only see her because he knew exactly where she had hidden and was fairly certain she would be safe from the nearly-blind manager's sight.

That just left Akira to fend for himself. It was too late for him to climb out of the pool, for the voice was getting louder and louder with every passing moment. If he tried, Mr. Fukami would surely see him, so in the pool Akira stayed, his eyes focused on the gate and waiting for the perfect opportunity.

A minute later, he saw the dim light of a flashlight and the dark shadow of a small man coming up to the gate. That was the signal he had been waiting for.

Exhaling deeply, Akira covered his nose, shut his eyes, and dove under the freezing cold waters.

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From her spot behind the chair, Ami watched Akira submerge himself in the pool, feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest. What in the world was he doing? If the manager decided to come inside the fence, Akira would be noticed for sure, near-blindness or not. Not to mention the fact that the water was freezing and she had no idea how long Akira would be able to hold his breath.

Ami wanted to call out to him, to tell him that they might as well surrender and suffer the consequences of their actions, but, just as she was about to jump up, she noticed the singing had stopped and that somebody was at the gate, shining a flashlight over the area. Her courage gone, Ami shrunk back down, as still as an ice sculpture as the light fell over the chair she was hiding behind.

"Anybody there?" the old manager called. Luckily, he seemed content to remain outside the fence. "The pool is closed. Come out now, and I'll only give you a warning."

Again, Ami was tempted to reveal herself, if only to make sure Akira was okay, but, try as she might, she remained frozen in place, unable to move. The manager waited a couple more seconds for an answer, and, when nobody came out, he left, muttering something about "stupid prank calls in the middle of the night." Once he was gone, Ami breathed a sigh of relief and crawled back over to the edge of the pool.

"Akira, he's gone," she declared, looking down into the water. "It's safe to come up now. Akira? Akira?"

Only Akira didn't resurface. As Ami watched in horror, his body slowly floated to the top of the water, as lifeless as can be. She stifled a scream, and shrugging out of her robe, dove back into the waters toward her lover's body.

Due to the two summers she had volunteered as a lifeguard at the country club, Ami knew exactly what to do. Swimming over to his body, Ami wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled Akira out of the pool, somehow finding the strength to haul a man who was at least thirty pounds heavier than her. She then rolled him on his back, preparing to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"Please, please let this work," she prayed aloud before lowering her mouth to his.

The moment their lips touched, however, something unexpected happened. Akira's eyes popped open, and Ami felt his tongue slip into her mouth, entangling with hers. Her first instinct was to gasp, but overjoyed that he was alive, she lost herself in the passionate kiss. It was only when they finally pulled apart a few minutes later that Ami realized she had been tricked.

"Akira!"

The so-called "victim," who appeared perfectly healthy, grinned. "Gotcha!" he teased.

"That is not funny, Akira! I thought you were dead," she admonished, her emotions conflicting between relief that he was alive and anger that Akira had played such a cruel joke on her.

"Oh, I'm very much alive," he declared, taking one of her hands and guiding it downwards. "Very much. See?"

Feeling exactly how much he was alive, the blood rushed to Ami's face, as well as to other certain places. They had been interrupted before, but now that they were safely out of danger of being caught by the manager, who probably wouldn't investigate another complaint, she could feel herself becoming aroused again. Her anger fading and replaced by desire, Ami straddled Akira, placing his hands on her hips.

"Shall we continue where we left off?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically husky.

The answer was a unanimous yes.

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The next morning, Akira woke up early to pack. For the next four days, he would be attending a conference in Kyoto, and he was supposed to be meeting Dr. Nakajima and his other colleagues at the train station at seven. Though he tried to be quiet as not to wake Ami up, her navy blue eyes fluttered open while he was digging through the nightstand drawer for his ticket.

"Akira…"

Akira brought a finger to her lips, silently shushing her. "Go back to sleep, Ami," he whispered. "You don't have to be in class for another two hours, so get some rest."

A soft smile on her lips, Ami shook her head. "I'm not tired," she insisted, rolling over on her side to turn on the bedside lamp so he could see better.

"Even after that marathon session we had last night?" he asked, grinning at the slight blush that crossed her cheeks at the memory.

"I still can't believe we did that..."

"It definitely was one helluva goodbye, I'll give you that." Having found the missing ticket, he placed it in the inside pocket of his jacket for safe-keeping, then went over to his dresser to grab a couple of sweaters. "Well, since you're up, I left the phone number of the hotel where I can be reached on the refrigerator," he informed her as he put the sweaters in his suitcase. "Technically, it's supposed to be for my dog-walker in case something happens to Mercury while I'm gone, but feel free to jot down a copy for yourself. My cell usually has crappy reception whenever I'm out of Tokyo, so it would probably be better to reach me on a landline."

"Is it safe for me to call?" Ami asked, sitting up and modestly covering herself with the blanket. "You're not sharing a room with anybody, are you?"

"No, it's just me by my lonesome," he sighed. "That is, unless I can manage to convince a certain someone to blow off her classes and come with me..."

"Akira, you know it's too risky."

"I know." After zipping up his overstuffed suitcase, he set it on the floor beside the bed and took a seat on the mattress. "Ami, I'm sorry. This isn't fair to you, to us. I would love to be able to take you with me to Kyoto, but…"

"…it just isn't feasible," she completed. "You don't have to apologize. I understand. Besides, even if I could go, you know I couldn't possibly skip class for two days straight."

Akira playfully pouted, breaking the serious atmosphere that had fallen between them. "Not even for me?"

"Not even for you," she laughed, swatting him on the arm as he stood back up.

"Well, it's good to know where I stand in the grand scheme of things. although I must admit my ego's a bit bruised. What do your other professors have that I don't?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

To prove it to him, Ami slid out of bed, wrapped her bare arms around his neck, and brought her lips to his own, standing on her tiptoes to reach him. Her body felt wonderfully warm against him, and Akira groaned, knowing he had to leave soon but wanting nothing more than to strip off his clothes and head back to bed.

"Ami, now…this…isn't…fair," he said between kisses. "I have…to leave…"

"Not for…another…fifteen minutes…" she pointed out, squealing when Akira pushed her back down on the bed and began to take off his belt.

Fifteen minutes? He could work with that.

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By the time Hideki woke up at seven-fifteen, fifteen minutes earlier than his usual time, Yui was already dressed and having a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table. True to her multi-tasking nature, she was also reading the morning paper while pausing every couple of minutes to go over a list of vocabulary words for her English class. Quite honestly, Hideki had no idea how she managed to do it, no matter how many mornings he woke up to the same exact scene.

"Morning," he said cheerfully, kissing the top of her head as he walked over to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Yui barely looked up from her vocabulary list. "Good morning, Hideki," she said in perfect English.

Encouraged that she hadn't told him to leave her alone as she was wont to do occasionally during her morning study sessions, Hideki took the seat across from her and reached for the box of cereal -- one of her disgusting diet brands, he realized with a sigh -- from the middle of the table. "Big test today?" he asked Yui, who shook her head as she turned the page in her newspaper.

"Just a little vocabulary quiz."

"Ah." Deciding he would rather go hungry than actually eat Yui's idea of a healthy breakfast, Hideki pushed the box and the bowl out of the way and grabbed the sports section of the paper, though he just skimmed the front page. He only read it because it was the sole section Yui hadn't already claimed for herself. "So, I wonder what happened last night with the skinny-dippers," he mused aloud, not really expecting Yui to be listening but feeling the need to make conversation anyway. "Fukami-san never called back to tell us, did he?"

"Not that I'm aware, but I assume he got rid of them."

"I still wonder who they were. It's bound to be somebody who lives in the building, though I didn't recognize the girl. Who else would have known about the rumor that the lock on the gate surrounding the pool was broken?"

"If it was, I certainly hope the manager lectured them on what is and what is not appropriate pool behavior," Yui huffed, returning her attention back to her vocabulary. "Shameless, absolutely shameless."

Hideki still failed to see what the big deal was, but he didn't bother arguing with her. He had learned long ago that there was no changing Yokoyama Yui's mind on something once she had made it up, so it was better just to drop it. Instead, he changed the subject.

"I'll be leaving a bit early for the next few days, by the way," he informed her. "I promised Kitagawa-sensei that I would walk his dog while he's in Kyoto for some big conference. You want to come with me?"

Yui immediately wrinkled her nose, just as he had known she would, and Hideki laughed. "Walk some big, smelly dog around, picking up poop? I don't think so."

"Oh, come on, Mercury is hardly big and smelly."

"No, thank you," she reiterated, finally putting the newspaper down and stuffing her vocabulary list in her backpack, which she had sitting beside her on the floor. "Besides, I need to leave early as well. In fact, I should probably start heading out now. I want to go to the library before class to check out a book I've been wanting to read. If I don't get to it this morning, somebody else could check it out before me."

"Will you be coming over tonight?" he asked as she stood up and threw her backpack over her shoulder in preparation to leave.

"Will the dog be here?"

"No."

"Then I'll see what I can do," she promised, shooting him the first smile she had given him all morning. "I'll see you at lunch."

"Bye."

"Goodbye!"

After Yui left, Hideki cleaned up the mess she had made and forgotten to put away in her haste to get to the library for the elusive book, then headed over to his neighbor's apartment. Professor Kitagawa had given him a key a while back so that Hideki could come over whenever he was needed to walk Mercury, but when he got to the door, he was surprised to find the knob twisted easily in his hands before he had even pulled the keychain out of his jeans pocket.

"I thought Kitagawa-sensei was supposed to have left at seven. Is he still home?" he asked himself, opening the door slightly. The living room was dark, but he still knocked lightly on the door just in case. "Kitagawa-sensei? It's me, Matsuno. I came to walk Mercury."

When there was no answer, Hideki pushed the door open wider and stepped inside, flipping on the light switch beside the door on his way in. Mercury, the professor's Corgi, jumped off the couch when he saw who it was and barked happily in greeting.

"Hey, boy," Hideki said, reaching for the leash which Professor Kitagawa had left hanging from the doorknob to be easy to find. "Ready for your walk?"

In answer, the dog walked over to Hideki, allowing him to attach the leash to his collar with little fuss. They were just about ready to leave when Hideki heard what sounded like a door closing somewhere else in the apartment. Though, logically, he knew it had to be his neighbor, as Mercury didn't seem the least bit agitated by the noise, his grip on the leash tightened.

"Kitagawa-sensei?"

Instead of the professor, however, a pretty woman stepped out of what he assumed to be the bedroom, since his apartment had about the same general layout. She had evidently just taken a shower, for her short, dark hair was wet, and she was bundled up in a light blue terry cloth robe, which she modestly held close with her left hand. Hideki couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her before -- rather recently, in fact -- but the moment of recognition passed before he could place her face.

"W-Who are you?" the girl asked. As she stepped closer forward, he saw that she was holding a wooden bat in her other hand. "What are you doing in here?"

To show her that he bore no ill will toward her, Hideki pulled out his key to the apartment and held it up for her to see. "I'm Kitagawa-sensei's dog-walker," he explained. "See? He gave me his key so I could walk Mercury while he's away."

With a relieved sigh, she leaned the bat against the wall. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't know you would be coming so early. I was in the shower, and when I heard Mercury barking--"

Hideki shook his head. "It's my fault. I should have known somebody was still here when I found the door unlocked. It's just that Kitagawa-sensei told me he was leaving for the station before seven, so I didn't think anybody would be here. I didn't realize you lived here, too."

The girl blushed. "I don't. I just…spent the night."

"Oh, I see." She must have been a new girlfriend of the professor's, although Hideki thought she looked a little on the young side. The girl couldn't be any older than he was, about the age of one of Professor Kitagawa's students. "Well, I'm sorry for frightening you. Next time I find the door unlocked, I'll be more considerate."

"Thank you."

After a brief moment of awkward silence, which was broken by an impatient Mercury, Hideki tugged the leash in the direction of the door. "I guess I'll take Mercury on his walk now, unless you would rather…"

"No, you can take him. I need to get ready for cl-- the day," she said, indicating her less-than-fashionable apparel. "I probably won't even be here when you get back, so there's some cans of dog food in the cabinet above the sink if Mercury's hungry, and Akira left the phone number where he can be reached in case of an emergency on the fridge."

 _Yeah, definitely a girlfriend_ , Hideki thought, noticing the lack of an honorific when she said the professor's name. _Lucky guy. She's cute._

"Thanks," he said, opening the door. "Come on, Mercury. Let's go."

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Ami let out a huge sigh of relief as soon as the dog-walker closed the door behind him. That had been close. Too close. She had vaguely recognized the young man from around campus, but, fortunately, he didn't seem to know her.

She wasn't about to tempt fate, though. Going back to Akira's bedroom, she quickly changed out of the robe and ran a brush through her damp hair. Ami would have liked to blow-dry it as well before going out into the cool, late autumn weather, but there wasn't time if she wanted to be gone by the time the dog-walker came back with Mercury, so she grabbed one of Akira's beat-up baseball caps from out of the closet and tucked the wet strands underneath as best as she could. After stopping in the kitchen for a quick breakfast of granola bars and to jot down Akira's hotel information, Ami headed off to class.

The rest of her day was mercifully uneventful, other than the fact that she found herself missing Akira more than she expected, especially when five o'clock came along and she headed back home instead of the laboratory like she usually did. He was only going to be gone for four days, but Sunday night, when he was scheduled to return, seemed an eternity away.

Was that how Usagi felt whenever Mamoru was too busy with his classes or his job at the hospital to take her out? Ami had always thought that the short funks Usagi fell into when she wasn't able to see Mamoru were a bit silly and immature -- after all, he never ignored her for long -- but she had a newfound sympathy for her princess.

At home in her room, Ami pulled out the slip of paper on which she had written Akira's phone number at the hotel and debated whether or not it was too early for her to call. More than likely, he was attending a seminar or lecture at the moment, so he probably wasn't even in his room. With a sigh, Ami set the piece of paper beside her phone for later and was about to go fix a snack before she started her studies when the phone began to ring.

"Hello. Mizuno Ami speaking."

Ami thought it might be her mother, who she hadn't spoken to in a while, but a huge smile crossed her lips when she heard her lover's voice on the other end. "Hello, sexy."

"Akira! I was just about to call you, but I didn't think you would be in your room," Ami confessed, picking up the phone and bringing it over to her bed, where she sat down cross-legged. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," he admitted. "I'm afraid I can't talk long, though. I skipped out early on this mind-numbingly dull seminar, but Nakajima-sensei and the others are expecting me to meet them for dinner at six."

"How are things going there?"

"You mean, other than the most boring seminar speaker known to man?" Akira chuckled. "Actually, other than him, things have been going great down here. It's only the first day, but there have already been a couple of ground-breaking presentations. I can't wait to get back home and try to apply what I've learned so far to my own experiments."

"Like what? Tell me," Ami prodded, moving to a more comfortable position on the bed.

"Well, a group of scientists from Kyoto University have been developing this amazing new test to detect for…"

For the next ten minutes, Akira filled Ami in on the happenings at the convention, and the passion in his voice as he talked about science and research reminded her once again what had attracted him to her in the first place. If she managed to have even half his zeal when she started practicing medicine, she would consider herself lucky.

"But enough about me and my day," he finally said, much to Ami's disappointment. She could listen to him talk about his work for hours and never tire of it. "I'm probably boring you half to death with all this shop talk."

Ami shook her head though she knew he couldn't see it. "Not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. Compared to yours, my day was positively lackluster."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Well, there was a little excitement this morning…" Ami said hesitantly, unsure if she should tell Akira about what happened with the dog-walker or not. After all, it wasn't as if he had recognized her. To tell Akira about it would probably be making a big deal out of nothing.

However, the statement had already piqued Akira's interest. "What happened, Ami?"

"Well, I was getting ready for school and taking a shower when I heard Mercury barking," Ami began, deciding she might as well tell him. "At first, I thought you might have come back for something you had forgotten, but when you didn't call out that it was you, I started to worry, so I got out of the shower and grabbed your bat from the closet."

On the other end of the line, she could hear Akira take in a sharp breath. "There was an intruder?" he asked. "Oh, my g-- Ami, are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "As it turned out, it was only your dog-walker, coming to take Mercury for his morning walk. He didn't think anybody was home, so he came in without knocking. Other than a little embarrassment on both our parts, nothing happened."

Akira breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. If anything had happened to you, I don't know what I would have done."

"It didn't seem like he recognized me either," Ami continued, "though I've seen him before around campus. I think he sometimes waits outside your class for Yokoyama Yui-san."

"They're dating, yes," he informed her. "I probably should have told you sooner."

Ami frowned upon hearing that piece of information, a bit upset Akira had failed to tell her something so important. When they had first started dating, he mentioned they needed to be careful because a university student lived nearby, but he never said anything about that student dating one of her classmates in his class. "Why didn't you? We were lucky this time that it was only her boyfriend, but if Yokoyama-san sees me leaving or entering your place…"

"We're always careful, Ami. She hasn't caught us yet, has she? She's not going to find out."

"But what if she does, Akira? You can say she won't all you want, but that doesn't make it true. Even if we are careful, there's always the possibility that it could happen."

"I don't know," he replied after a long pause. "I just don't know."

His words did nothing to reassure her. Laying back against the stack of fluffy pillows behind her, Ami closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. For the first time since their affair started, she began to understand the true enormity of what they were doing and what might happen if they were discovered. She had always known on a superficial level that it wasn't a good idea to keep seeing Akira, of course, but she supposed the relative ease they had in keeping their secret so far had made things seem less riskier than they really were.

"Ami, are you still there?" Akira asked when she didn't say anything. "Ami?"

His voice bringing her back to the present, Ami reopened her eyes and sat back up. "Yes, I'm still here," she said, running her hand through her hair. "I'm just trying to process this new information, that's all. It's a lot to take in."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he apologized. "I just didn't think about it. Believe me, if I had any concerns she might be a problem, I would have told you right away, but I rarely see Yokoyama-san outside of classes. I didn't even know she and Matsuno-kun were an item until around the time I hired you as my assistant, and I've only seen her a couple of times since then in the building. I don't think she comes over that often, to be honest."

"Still…" Ami bit her lip, unable to stop thinking "what if."

As if he could sense her doubts, Akira sighed. "Ami, I would very much like to continue seeing you, but if you're having second thoughts, we can stop this right now. I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position if this is too much for you."

Stop? Despite her fear of being caught, the thought of losing him altogether felt even worse, like a knife stabbed right through her heart.

"I knew what I was getting into when this began," she reminded him. "In fact, I was the one who wanted to keep seeing you despite what was at stake. Maybe I was going through a belated adolescent rebellious phase, and I didn't quite understand the risk we were taking at the time, but, no matter what, I do believe it was worth that risk." Before she continued, she paused for a moment to build up her courage. It seemed it was finally time to be honest with him about her true feelings. Ami felt her hand start to shake as she tightened her grip on the receiver, and her voice stuttered as she struggled to find the words to express what she felt. "I-I don't want to stop seeing you, Akira. These last couple of months have been among the happiest of my life. Even if it means we have to be even more careful than we were before, I want to be with you, and only you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Ami was surprised by the sudden conviction in her voice, her hesitation from before gone, but she knew in her heart it was true.

"Good. I was hoping you would say that," Akira said with a chuckle that made Ami smile. "We'll just have to try to be more careful from now on when we're together, that's all. It'll be fine. You'll see."

He sounded so confident, Ami couldn't help but believe him. "Right."

They talked for a few more minutes, mostly about her otherwise uneventful day at school, before Akira regrettably had to excuse himself to get ready for dinner with his colleagues. Ami wished they could have talked longer, but Akira promised to call her again later that night. After saying their goodbyes, Ami hung up the phone and brought it back over to her desk, where she then began her studies, determined to have all her homework done before he called back.

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For Akira, the next couple of days were a flurry of seminars, lectures, and demonstrations, broken only by the occasional meal and phone calls with Ami whenever he could find the time. By the time Saturday night came along, he was looking forward to heading back to Tokyo the following evening. As much as he had enjoyed the conference, it had been an exhausting weekend.

And it wasn't over yet. His group had yet to give their presentation, which would be one of the last of the conference. To prepare, the five members holed themselves in Akira's hotel room for pizza and a last-minute read-through that inevitably turned into a last-minute rewrite as everybody found something they felt needed to be changed.

"I still don't think we need to focus so heavily on that section," Dr. Nakajima argued, reaching for his third slice of pizza of the night. "It's full of information that was already presented by other groups earlier during the conference, and it drags down the entire paper. I say we cut these three paragraphs and move onto the meat of our presentation."

Dr. Kamina Ichiro, who had never gotten along with Dr. Nakajima, huffed. "And I'm sure it's just pure coincidence that it's one of my sections you want to shorten, Nakajima-sensei. If you ask me, it's the section on genetics that needs trimming. It's almost twice as long as any of the other parts."

"Well, nobody was asking you, Kamina-sensei."

"Nakajima-sensei, it wouldn't kill you to edit a few things out of the genetics section," Dr. Kumada Naoko, the lone woman in the group, suggested. "I agree it is a bit on the long side."

"But Ryu-san also has a point about the introduction. There's too much regurgitation of facts already presented by other groups," Dr. Naegino Kentaro pointed out, agreeing with his longtime friend and colleague. "Also, may I suggest we combine the third and fifth paragraphs of the conclusion? There's no reason they need to be divided by…"

Akira just shook his head from his spot in front of the computer and returned back to work on their PowerPoint presentation, deciding it best not to get involved in the petty squabbles of his older, and supposedly more mature, colleagues. It was hard to believe that the four other people in his room were supposed to be well-respected professors and researchers. He thought they were acting more like schoolchildren.

In fact, an argument between Dr. Naegino and Dr. Kumada became so heated that he barely heard the phone ringing right beside him. Apparently, neither did they, for the argument kept going even after Akira tried to tell them to quiet down. With a roll of his eyes, he reached for the phone and brought it to his ear.

"Hello. You've reached the Kitagawa Nursery School for the Brilliant and Insane. Kitagawa speaking."

"Akira?" a confused, but familiar, voice answered.

"Ah, Ami!" Remembering that he wasn't the only one in the room, Akira lowered his voice and covered his mouth with his hand. "I'm happy you called, but I'm afraid this really isn't a good time," he said, his eyes darting around the room to make sure nobody had heard him. It looked like everybody was too caught up in the argument to pay much attention to him, though. "We're in the middle of preparing for our presentation tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt your work. Sorry," she apologized.

"It's fine. To be honest, we're not getting much work done," he admitted with a chuckle. "We've been in here for at least an hour already, and more than half of that time has been spent engaging in petty arguments. As much as our culture encourages conformity and the good of the whole, I'm afraid my team is full of individualists who all want the biggest parts of the presentation. Even Nakajima-sensei is taking part in it. They're like children!"

Ami giggled. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm just staying out of it. That seems to be the smartest move. By the time they cut down everybody else's part in spite, I'll probably end up with the biggest role anyway."

"You deserve it. After all, your discovery is the basis of the entire paper."

" _Our_ discovery, you mean," he corrected, smiling at the memory of that night in the lab where they shared their first kiss. "I never would have done it without you."

"All I did was assist you; you deserve all the credit," she said, as modest as ever. "Anyway, I suppose I should let you get back to your work before somebody starts to get suspicious."

"Right. I'll call you back once everybody leaves. Will you still be up?"

"I will be if you call."

He smiled. "Good."

After saying their goodbyes, Akira hung up the phone and turned his attention back toward his colleagues, who were still in the middle of an argument. Only Dr. Nakajima stayed out of it, his mentor raising an eyebrow in Akira's direction.

"Who was that on the phone, Akira-kun?" he asked.

"Oh, nobody. Just somebody I met at one of today's seminars. We were thinking of getting together later to talk about a collaboration," he lied, quickly coming up with a cover story. Not giving Dr. Nakajima the chance to ask any more questions about the mystery caller, Akira decided it was the perfect time to take charge. He stood up from his chair and whistled loudly to get everybody else's attention. "Hey, guys, I think it's high time to stop this bickering. It's getting us nowhere. Can't we just try to get along, at least until the end of our presentation?"

Appearing embarrassed by their immature behavior, especially when called out on it by the youngest of their group by a good ten years, the other professors nodded and mumbled apologies before getting back to work. Things moved much quicker after that, and, by eleven, they had finally finished revising the paper to everyone's satisfaction. As Akira looked over the changes they had made, everybody else started to head back to their own rooms to get some sleep before their big day.

"Ryu-san, are you coming?" Dr. Naegino asked, stopping at the door when he realized Dr. Nakajima wasn't behind him.

"In a minute, Kentaro-san. I'd like to speak to Akira-kun about something. Go on ahead."

Akira looked up from the revised copy of the paper in surprise, but didn't say anything until after Dr. Naegino and the others had left for their own rooms for the night.

"What did you want to speak to me about, Nakajima-sensei?" he asked, turning around in his computer desk chair as the older man closed the door. "If you're going to try to convince me to cut more of Kamina-sensei's section, you might as well save your breath. I know you're not fond of him, but--"

Dr. Nakajima shook his head and took a seat at the foot of Akira's bed. "This has nothing to do with the paper," he said. "It has to do with that phone call you received earlier. Who called you?"

"I told you, it was somebody I met here at the conference."

"Somebody who just happens to share a name with your very attractive lab assistant?" he inquired, the question making Akira's blood run cold in realization that Dr. Nakajima had heard him talking to Ami. "Akira-kun, I'm going to ask you again, and I want you to tell me the truth this time -- who called you? Was it Mizuno-san?"

Unsure of what to say, Akira kept quiet, his silence on the matter apparently more than enough proof to confirm Dr. Nakajima's suspicions. His mentor sighed and hung his head.

"I knew this would happen," Dr. Nakajima said. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the temptation, especially after you had that dream. I tried to warn you, Akira-kun, but you just wouldn't listen to me, would you?"

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing Akira could think to say.

"How long has this thing between you two been going on?"

"A couple of months," Akira admitted, "since around the time I had that breakthrough."

"A couple of months, huh?" Dr. Nakajima raised his head back up, revealing the frown on his face. "Do you realize what you're doing?" he asked. "If anybody finds out about this, your entire career could be ruined."

"Do you plan to report us?" Akira wouldn't blame him if he did. After everything Dr. Nakajima did to warn him of the risks of dating a student, he had every right to turn them in.

Surprisingly, however, the genetics professor shook his head. "I should, but that would make me very much the hypocrite, wouldn't it?" he said with another sigh. "I have to say I'm very disappointed in you, though, Akira-kun. After what I told you about my own misguided affair with a student, I had hoped you wouldn't make the same mistakes I made."

"Ami isn't a mistake, Nakajima-sensei," Akira declared, his hands involuntarily curling into fists. Even if their relationship was not acceptable in the eyes of the school, he refused to label it a "mistake," as if it was something he regretted.

"But she's your student!"

"I know, I know…" Akira jumped up from his chair and started pacing the small hotel room, feeling the need to walk off his nervous energy.

"How can you even begin to justify this kind of relationship?"

"I can't. I know in my head it's wrong, and I know I shouldn't be dating her, but…"

"You really do like her, don't you?" Dr. Nakajima guessed, his stern face softening somewhat.

"Yes. Yes, I do," Akira said, his lips curling into a small smile at the realization. It was the first time he had admitted even to himself that Ami was more than just a fun fling. "I think this relationship has real possibilities."

The older man looked at him in disbelief. "Possibilities? You can't even have a public relationship, Akira-kun!"

"It's only for a couple more years. Once Ami finishes her undergraduate studies and enters med school…"

"Do you think the relationship can last that long under that kind of pressure?" he asked. "Do you honestly believe you can keep this relationship secret for that long? It's only been a couple of months and already I know about it. How long do you think it will take for somebody else to discover your affair?"

Dr. Nakajima's questions, as much as Akira hated to admit it, brought up some very valid points, which carried even greater weight in wake of the close call Ami had a few days ago with Matsuno Hideki at his apartment. No matter how careful they were, one little slip-up in front of the wrong person had the potential to expose their relationship to the world. It was a miracle that Dr. Nakajima had agreed to keep silent, but there was no guarantee that somebody else who learned the secret would be so understanding.

"I don't know, Nakajima-sensei," Akira said, finally coming to a stop back at his desk and taking a seat. "The only thing I do know is that I want to continue seeing her."

"You're flirting with disaster."

"You managed to keep your affair a secret."

"My very _brief_ affair," Dr. Nakajima pointedly reminded him. "We broke up before the school ever had a chance to discover our relationship."

"I'm not going to break up with Ami."

"I never asked you to," he said. "All I'm saying is that maybe you two ought to reconsider your situation. If you truly think this relationship has possibilities, then wait until she's in medical school to pursue it properly. I'd hate to see you lose your job over this, Akira-kun. You're a great teacher."

"Thank you. I'll take your advice into consideration," Akira said, not meaning it at all.

Dr. Nakajima looked at Akira. "You have no intention of following my advice, do you?" he asked. When Akira remained silent, the older man sighed and stood up to leave. "Well, then, all I can tell you is be careful and good luck. I'll see you tomorrow, Akira-kun."

Akira let out a curse after his mentor left, banging his fist on the computer desk in frustration. He couldn't believe that after all the precautions they had taken, all it took was his one little mistake for Dr. Nakajima to find out about his relationship with Ami. Why did she have to call him while he was in the middle of a meeting with his colleagues?

No, he couldn't blame Ami. She had no way of knowing he wasn't alone. The blame rested solely on his shoulders. If he had been smarter, he would have used another name when he realized who it was instead of stupidly blurting her name where anybody in earshot could hear.

Though he had promised to call Ami back once the meeting had ended, Akira decided to take a shower and go straight to bed. They would be heading back to Tokyo tomorrow evening. He would tell her then, in person, about what had happened. She deserved that much.

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Ami waited up until one o'clock in the morning for Akira's call, but he never called her back. Though disappointed, she was too tired to stay up any longer, so she went to bed, dreaming of their impending reunion.

He didn't call her back the next day, either. By then, Ami was a bit concerned, assuming he would have contacted her in the morning with an excuse as to why he hadn't called her back the night before, but she told herself that he was probably busy getting ready for the big presentation. Besides, Akira would be home by that evening, and being able to talk to him in person was a hundred times better than over the phone.

Ami already had the whole night planned. She would sneak over to his apartment around five with a bag of groceries. There, she was going to cook one of Makoto's simpler recipes and surprise him with a homemade dinner when he came home. Then, after dinner… Well, that would be dessert, but Ami had no intention of baking anything, though she did add a can of whipped cream to her list of groceries to pick up, blushing as she did so.

Unfortunately, the day seemed to be going by as slow as molasses. She had already finished all her necessary studying for the week, and Makoto was off at another one of Asanuma's baseball games. All the other girls were busy as well, and her mother was at work, so Ami passed the time by grabbing one of Makoto's old fashion magazines from the top of the recycle bin and trying out some of the beauty tips inside.

She couldn't believe how much work it took to be beautiful. Waxing, exfoliating, moisturizing…and that was only for her legs! She also plucked her eyebrows into a more pronounced arch, mixed together a homemade facial mask, and even tried a few of the more subtle make-up tricks. Ami had to admit she liked the results, though. Her skin had never felt so soft and silky, and the make-up brought out her natural beauty even more. She would never waste so much time on a daily basis, but she tore out the relevant pages from the magazine for future reference before tossing it back in the bin.

By that time, it was almost five o'clock, so Ami bought her groceries and headed to Akira's apartment building, remembering to disguise herself with the baseball cap she had borrowed the last time she was there in case she happened to run into Yokoyama Yui or her boyfriend on her way up. Luckily, the coast had been clear, and when she got to the apartment, Ami found Mercury in the kitchen eating a can of dog food, meaning that the dog-walker had probably just left and wouldn't be interrupting for the rest of the night.

"Hey, Mercury, Akira's coming home today," Ami cheerfully announced as she set her bags down on the counter and placed the bouquet of daisies she had bought in a glass vase. "I bet you've missed him just as much as I have, haven't you?"

The Corgi looked up from his bowl and barked in reply.

"I thought so," Ami giggled, washing her hands before she started on the meal.

For Akira's special "Welcome home!" dinner, she had decided to make one of his favorites: meatloaf with corn and mashed potatoes. Though she had never cooked the meatloaf herself, Ami had watched Makoto enough times to feel confident in her ability to replicate it. She followed the recipe she had jotted down from one of her roommate's cookbooks to the letter, and soon, the kitchen was filled with smells that made Ami's mouth water in anticipation.

Ami had just finished mashing the potatoes when she heard Akira come in through the front door. A quick glance at the stove clock revealed he was a bit earlier than she expected, but there wouldn't be too much of a wait for dinner, so that was fine. Ami took off her apron, and after smoothing down her dress and checking her reflection in the bottom of a shiny, practically brand-new frying pan, she went to the living room to welcome him home.

"Akira, you're back!" Ami said, surprising Akira when she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Welcome home! How did your presentation go?"

"Ami?" Loosening her arms, a frowning Akira turned around to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you certainly did that. You nearly scared me half-to-death."

"Sorry," she apologized, casting her eyes to the ground. Ami thought Akira would be happy that she came over to welcome him home, but, for some reason she couldn't understand, he sounded almost mad at her.

Had she done something wrong? Was that why he hadn't called her back the previous night as he promised? She thought back to their last conversation, but Ami couldn't think of anything she had said that might have angered him.

"No, I'm sorry," Akira sighed, tilting her chin back up and kissing her chastely on the cheek. "I didn't mean to jump on you. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all. I'm happy to see you, really."

Relieved that he wasn't angry with her, Ami helped Akira out of his coat and folded it over the back of the armchair to be put away later. "Did something go wrong at the presentation?" she asked.

"No, the presentation went fine. In fact, it was the talk of the conference."

"That's great, Akira. I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah. Hey, isn't that meatloaf I smell?"

Ami frowned as Akira headed to the kitchen, wondering what had gotten into him. Normally, Akira never passed up the opportunity to talk about his work. Confused, she followed him into the kitchen, where she found him in front of the open oven, inhaling the aroma of the meatloaf.

"Wow, that smells absolutely delicious, Ami," he complimented, closing the oven door. "Did you make it yourself?"

"I used one of Mako-chan's recipes. It'll be about another five minutes until it's done," Ami said, grabbing a couple of rarely-used plates from the cabinet and setting them and the vase of flowers at the table. "But, Akira, did something happen at the conference?"

"We'll talk about it later. For now, let's just celebrate being together again, okay? You have no idea how much I've missed you."

Ami started to object, but Akira kissed her before she could even get the words out of her mouth, pushing her up against the counter. Though she was curious as to what was bothering him, she decided it could wait until later when he was ready to talk about it. At that moment, Ami was content to be in Akira's arms again, kissing the lips she had missed so much.

"Akira…dinner will…be ready…soon," she reminded him in between kisses. "We really…should stop…"

"Forget about dinner," he said, moving down to her neck. "We can…reheat it…later."

As tempting an idea as it was -- and it was very tempting -- Ami managed to pull away when she heard the oven timer go off. "Later," she promised as she put on a pair of oven mitts and pulled the meatloaf out. "First, we eat."

Akira playfully pouted, but sat down at the table and started to fix his plate. "Fine, I suppose I could use the extra energy anyway. This really does look delicious, Ami."

She smiled. "Thanks."

While they ate, Akira told Ami more about what happened at the conference, although she could tell he was carefully avoiding the subject of why he had seemed so tense when he came home. When she tried to ask him why he hadn't called her back like he promised, he snapped at her again, just as he had done before. After that, Ami let the subject drop, at least until after they had finished eating and were doing the dishes.

"Akira, tell me what happened," Ami gently prodded as she dried off the plate he had handed her. "Something has obviously got you on edge, and I want to know what it is."

Akira, who had offered to wash the dishes to thank her for making dinner, scrubbed at the dirty pot he was currently cleaning as if hadn't been washed in years. "I thought I said we would talk about it later."

"It is later."

"Why ruin tonight? It can wait until tomorrow."

"I don't think it can." Taking the pot away from him before he scrubbed the silvery coating right off of it, Ami took his glove-covered hands and turned Akira so that he faced her. "Akira, tell me. It has to do something about us, doesn't it? About our relationship? Do you -- do you want to break up with me?"

"No, of course not," Akira assured her, taking off his rubber gloves and cradling her face in his hands. "It's not like that at all. How could you even think that?"

"Well, you never called me back last night, and you've been acting so strangely ever since you got back…"

Akira sighed. "I'm sorry. I never meant to make you think that. Come on, I better tell you everything."

Ignoring the rest of the dishes, he took Ami's hand and led her back to the living room, where they sat down together on the couch. Even though he'd told her that he had no plans to break up with her, Ami still felt her heart racing in nervousness, especially when she saw the grim look on his face. She had no idea what he was going to tell her, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"Akira? What is it? Just tell me already," she pleaded.

"Do you remember a few days ago when we discussed the possibility of someone finding out about us?" he asked after a brief pause.

She nodded. Ami remembered the conversation well. It was right after she had run into the dog-walker at Akira's apartment. "What about it?"

"Well…I'm afraid we've been caught."

Ami gasped. The news was even worse than she thought. "What? By whom? By the dog-walker? Did he recognize me after all?"

"No, I'm afraid this is all my fault," he confessed. "Nakajima-sensei heard us talking last night when you called during the meeting and put together the clues. Don't worry, though," he added, noticing the horrified look on her face. "He's promised not to say anything."

Ami was relieved to hear that, at least. "Are you positive? I mean, he is a professor at the school…"

"Nakajima-sensei has his own reasons for keeping our secret," Akira said, though he didn't elaborate on what those reasons might be.

"What about the other people in your group? Did they hear?"

"No, I don't think so. Even if they did, I doubt they put the name together with a face. They don't know you as well as Nakajima-sensei does."

"Thank goodness."

Akira pulled Ami toward him, kissing the top of her head. "I'm really sorry about this," he apologized. "I can't believe I was so stupid, especially when we just had that big discussion about being more careful."

Ami shook her head. She couldn't let Akira take all the blame on himself. If she hadn't called him at the wrong time, they never would be in the situation they were in. "It's not your fault, Akira. I shouldn't have called you during the meeting. If anyone is to blame, it's me."

"But you had no idea that we were holding a meeting."

"Well, at least Nakajima-sensei promised to keep our secret," she reminded him, snuggling closer to her lover. Ami didn't want to think about it any longer. Tonight was supposed to be Akira's homecoming, and she wasn't about to let the news of their discovery by a sympathetic supporter ruin their evening.

Akira evidently had the same idea, for he silently took her hand and lead her to the bedroom, where they made love until both were utterly exhausted.


	8. Chapter 8

When Akira arrived at the lab the Monday following the conference, he was none too surprised to discover Dr. Nakajima waiting for him with a file folder in hand, though he knew the file was only an excuse to see him. Without a word, he took the offered folder, set it on his desk, then headed to the closet to change into his lab coat.

"I take it you're still angry with me for suggesting you cool things off with Mizuno-san," Dr. Nakajima said, sighing. "Akira-kun, you must understand I only have your best interests at heart. I don't want to see either one of your careers ruined by this little…dalliance."

"As long as you don't say anything, they won't be," Akira reminded him as he sat down at his desk and flipped through the file, which only contained a few photocopied articles he had already read. "You don't intend to go back on your word, do you?"

The older man shook his head. "I promised I would keep your secret, but I must reiterate that I still think it best if you and Mizuno-san stopped seeing each other, at least for a little while."

"That's not going to happen, Nakajima-sensei. Ami is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time, and I'm not about to let her go."

"Even if it means risking your job at this university?"

Before Akira had the chance to answer, the door swung open and the subject of their current conversation walked in, blushing when she saw Dr. Nakajima. "N-Nakajima-sensei -- Um, hello," Ami stuttered, obviously unnerved by his presence, given what he knew.

Dr. Nakajima, however, merely greeted her with his usual nod of acknowledgement as if nothing had changed. "Hello, Mizuno-san."

Standing from behind his desk, Akira handed the file back to his mentor. "Nakajima-sensei was just leaving," he announced, giving the other professor no room for argument. "Ami, why don't you begin setting up today's experiment while I show him out? The procedure's in its usual place."

"Y-Yes!"

Leaving Ami to the preparations, Akira and Dr. Nakajima headed out into the hallway, where Akira closed the door behind him, not wanting Ami to overhear their conversation. He then turned to face his former professor, his voice low as he said, "Look, while I do appreciate your concern, no matter what you say, I plan to continue seeing her. We both are aware of the risks, but they are risks we are willing to take to stay together, and I hope we can rely on you to keep this quiet."

"You know you can, but --"

"I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Akira headed back inside, letting out a sigh as he rejoined Ami in the labs. She had already set up for most of that day's experiment, but she set down the flask she had been filling with a chemical when he came in, a worried look on her face.

"Akira, did something happen?" she asked, walking over to him. "I noticed the atmosphere seemed a bit heavy when I arrived. Nakajima-sensei didn't change his mind about not going to the dean about us, did he?"

"No, nothing like that. We can trust him with our secret," he assured her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "He's…just concerned, that's all."

"Are you sure that's it?"

"Let's get to work."

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The next day, Ami was on her way to Akira's lab when she heard someone call her name. Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw Dr. Nakajima coming toward her, his pudgy face lightly flushed as if he had been running. Though she was tempted to duck into the nearby restroom and pretend she hadn't noticed him, Ami knew Dr. Nakajima would realize she was avoiding him, so she stayed where she was, taking a few deep breaths to calm her jitters.

"Ah, Mizuno-san, I'm glad I caught you," he said breathlessly when he finally caught up to her. "Would you mind coming to my lab for a few minutes? There's something I would like to discuss with you."

"A-Aki -- I mean, Kitagawa-sensei is expecting me, sir," Ami said, confused by the summons. Dr. Nakajima had never asked to see her alone before.

"I won't keep you long. I'm sure he won't mind."

Ami looked down at her watch to check the time. She still had about twenty minutes to go before she was supposed to be in the lab, but she had hoped to get there early so she and Akira could have some extra time together. They wouldn't be able to see each other after the session because Akira wanted to catch up on some grading and she had a paper to work on for her world history class. Still, whatever Dr. Nakajima wanted to talk about seemed urgent, so Ami nodded. "Okay, I suppose I can spare a few minutes."

Ami followed the genetics professor to his lab next door to Akira's and took a seat at one of the cleared-off tables at his urging. Again, she wondered why Dr. Nakajima wanted to speak with her, although she thought she might have a good idea. Her suspicions were confirmed when the professor took the seat beside her and, after a brief pause, said, "Mizuno-san, I understand that you and Kitagawa-sensei are a bit of an item, so to speak."

That was the first time he had acknowledged he knew of their relationship in front of her, and Ami shifted uncomfortably on her stool, embarrassed. During the times they had worked together, she had grown to respect Dr. Nakajima immensely, and she could only imagine what he thought of her now that he knew she was sleeping with Akira.

"You could say that…"

"Don't get the wrong idea," the professor said, his face softening a bit as if he sensed her unease. "I didn't ask you here in order to scold or lecture you about your relationship. Believe me, I'm the last person who has the right to condemn you for your affair."

Though Ami wanted to ask why that was, remembering Akira had said something along the same lines when he told her that Dr. Nakajima had his own reasons for keeping their secret, she didn't feel comfortable prying into his personal life. Instead, she asked, "Then why did you wish to speak to me?"

"You're a smart girl, Mizuno-san. You're at the top of your class, and, from what I've seen and heard from Akira-kun, you have a brilliant career as a doctor ahead of you. That's why I would hate to see something happen to jeopardize that future."

"Akira said we could trust you to keep our secret," Ami said, unable to keep a trace of accusation out of her voice.

"You can," he assured her, much to her relief. For a moment, she thought he might have changed his mind. "I have no plans to ever betray that trust," he continued, "but what happens if somebody else discovers your relationship? Someone who isn't quite as understanding as I am?"

Ami looked down at the folded hands on her lap, unsure of how to answer his inquiry, even though the question had been on the forefront of her mind ever since Akira told her that Dr. Nakajima knew about them. "We'll be more careful. Nobody else will find out about Akira and me."

"How can you make such a claim with absolute certainty?"

"I suppose I can't, but what else can we do but try harder not to get caught?"

"You could take a break from each other," he suggested, holding up a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. "Please hear me out, Mizuno-san. I'm not saying that you two should break up permanently, but you're a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. In fact, I suspect this is your first serious romantic relationship, is it not?"

Ami nodded, feeling her cheeks warm.

"I thought so," he said. "So, why don't you take this time and play the field a little? See what else is out there?"

"I'm not interested in anybody else," Ami declared. "I only want to be with Akira."

"If that is true, the two of you will surely find your way back to each other at a more appropriate time, but, until then, what's the harm in getting a little more experience under your belt before you make any big commitments?" Dr. Nakajima asked. "After all, Akira-kun is eight years older than you, and he's had his fair share of girlfriends over the years. He was even engaged once, as I'm sure you are aware. You two are at different stages in your lives right now, and, while that doesn't necessarily mean things won't work out between you two, I think it would be beneficial for you to try to bridge that gap in your experience level."

The logical part of her brain, as much as she didn't want to admit it, agreed with him. It probably would be a good idea to cool things off with Akira and "play the field," as Dr. Nakajima had put it, though Ami had a hard time envisioning herself going out with a different guy every night, but her heart -- her heart just wouldn't listen to reason. She had meant what she said. She only wanted to be with Professor Kitagawa Akira.

"Nakajima-sensei, thank you for your concern, but I really should be leaving," she said, standing from her stool and bowing respectfully. "Akira is probably wondering where I am."

"I take it that means you won't listen to me, either," Dr. Nakajima said with a chuckle as he walked her to the door. "Well, nobody can say I didn't at least try to knock some sense into you two. Just do me a favor, Mizuno-san?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, he talked to you too?"

After Ami had finished telling Akira why she was late for their lab session, he rolled his eyes. He should have known that when Dr. Nakajima failed to make any headway with him, he would move on to Ami in his quest to break them up. The man was relentless, even if his intentions were good at heart.

"He was perfectly nice about it," Ami said, washing her hands at the sink. "I think it's rather sweet of him to be concerned, and you have to admit he does make some good points."

"Are you saying he got to you?" Akira asked, his eyes widening slightly. "Ami, when I asked you if you wanted to continue this, you said you thought it was worth any risk."

"And I still do." She walked over to the closet to change into her lab coat. "Nakajima-sensei is right, though. We can say we'll be more careful in the future, but what if somebody else finds out about us who isn't as willing to keep our secret as Nakajima-sensei? Like Yokoyama-san and her boyfriend?"

"Well, we could always start checking into love hotels if you're that worried about them catching us at my apartment."

He had made the suggestion jokingly, but that didn't stop Ami from blushing brightly at the thought. "Be serious, Akira! This is important. What are we going to do to protect ourselves from future discovery? You've been avoiding the subject ever since you returned from Kyoto, but we need to come up with a plan."

"You're right. Sorry."

Akira followed Ami into the lab proper and considered her question as he helped her set up the day's experiment. She was right. They did have to be more careful from then on. He didn't even want to think what would happen if somebody else found out about their affair, but there wasn't much they could do to guarantee that wouldn't happen except for not seeing each other outside of class and lab sessions, and that was definitely not an option.

"Maybe it would be best if you started leaving a little earlier in the mornings," he suggested, thinking aloud. "That way, you probably won't have to worry about running into Matsuno-kun or Yokoyama-san on your way out."

"I can do that," she agreed with a nod. "I'll also keep disguising myself whenever I come over. My hair is short enough that I can easily hide it under a hat, and that tends to be my most distinguishing feature. It might even be a good idea to buy a wig or two."

"I always did think you'd make a sexy redhead."

Akira expected another scolding for not being serious, but his lover simply smiled and said, "That can be arranged."

They spouted out a few more suggestions as to how to keep their relationship secret -- including using fake names whenever one of them called while the other was with somebody else, so they wouldn't have a repeat of what happened at the conference -- and, by the time they had finished setting up for the day's experiment, Akira had to admit he felt a lot better about the whole thing. As long as they stuck to the plan, nobody else would find out about their affair.

 _We may just be able to pull this off after all_ , he thought to himself.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On her way home from the lab later that evening, Ami stopped at a beauty supply store and bought a couple of wigs to serve as disguises. Luckily, the store's bag was rather plain-looking, so Makoto didn't ask many questions when she arrived back at the apartment, bag in hand. She easily bought Ami's lie that she had gone to a new bookstore to pick up some books for her research paper, and, much to Ami's relief, didn't ask to see her new purchases.

Once Ami was safely in her room, having told Makoto she needed to get to work on her paper, she sat down at her desk, though she didn't pull out any books. Instead, she situated a small mirror in front of her on the desk and began molding her natural hair to her head with bobby pins as the lady at the shop had told her to do. She then pulled one of the wigs -- a red one, as Akira had suggested -- out of the bag and placed it on the top of her head.

The wig she had chosen fell past her shoulders in soft curls, providing a dramatic change from the short, no-nonsense style Ami had worn ever since elementary school. When she looked at her reflection in the mirror, Ami barely even recognized herself. She truly looked like a completely different person.

"Amazing," she murmured to herself before taking that one off and trying on the next.

The second wig was a short platinum bob, and, again, the change in her appearance was striking, though not as much as the final wig of shoulder-length teal waves. Ami giggled when she saw herself wearing it, thinking she almost looked like Michiru's twin, or, at the very least, a younger sister. She wondered what Haruka and the others would think if she ever showed up at a full-team senshi gathering wearing it, but that thought was cut short when she heard a knock at bedroom door, startling her.

"Sorry for interrupting your studies, Ami-chan," Makoto apologized from outside the room, "but I thought you might be hungry. I made you some sandwiches for dinner. Can I come in?"

Ami yanked the teal wig off her head, stuffed it back in the store bag, and frantically started pulling the bobby pins out of her hair. "In a minute," she called out, quickening her pace. Oh, why had she used so many bobby pins? "I need to straighten up in here."

Makoto laughed. "Come on. I'm not going to lecture you if your room is a mess. I'm not your mother."

"I'm almost finished…"

Finally, Ami managed to find the last pin, taking it out and brushing her hair back into some semblance of order. After she put away the mirror and pulled out a couple of random books to make it look as if she had been working on her paper, she went over to the door and let Makoto in.

"Wow, if you managed to get your room this clean in that short amount of time, maybe I should let you take over the house-cleaning," her roommate said with a chuckle, looking around the perfectly neat and orderly room as she stepped in.

Ami blushed, feeling awful for lying to Makoto yet again. Ever since she started to see Akira, it seemed as if she told her roommate more lies and fibs than she did the truth. "And deprive you of one of your favorite pastimes? I couldn't."

"That's true; I do love to clean," Makoto remarked, handing Ami a plate of sandwiches. "Here, I didn't know what you wanted, so I made you one BLT and one bologna and cheese. I hope that's okay."

"Thanks."

"So, how's the paper coming along?"

"It's…coming." At least that wasn't a total lie. She had already done most of the research and made an outline beforehand. All that was left was to put hand to keyboard, and Ami didn't expect that to take long thanks to her tendency to plan to the littlest detail.

"What's the subject?"

"Oh, you wouldn't be interested, Mako-chan," Ami said waving her free hand in front of her as she stepped between the brunette and her desk, hiding her computer desktop from view in case Makoto noticed that there weren't any files open. "It's on the American Revolution."

It could have been her imagination, but Ami thought she saw a bit of suspicion flash in Makoto's eyes, though the look passed as quickly as it appeared. "You're right, that doesn't sound very interesting," Makoto admitted. "Well, I suppose I should let you get back to work on that. Try not to stay up too late."

"I won't. Thanks again for the sandwiches. Goodnight."

After Makoto left, Ami plopped down in her desk chair, feeling as if she had just finished running a marathon. Thank goodness Makoto wasn't the type to want to read academic papers, or else she would have had a lot of explaining to do. With a sigh of relief, she opened a new blank document, pulled out her notes, and finally got to work.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where is it?!"

It wasn't often that Makoto got the chance to witness her normally calm and organized roommate nearly reduced to hysterics, but that was exactly what she saw when she came out of the kitchen that Thursday afternoon upon hearing Ami's frantic cry coming from the living room. The blue-haired genius, who had already switched out of her usual slippers into a pair of sensible black flats in preparation to leave, was sitting on the couch, digging like a gopher through her purse, and muttering to herself.

"Ami-chan, what's going on?" Makoto asked, wiping her hands, still wet and soapy from doing the dishes, on her floral-print apron. "What are you looking for?"

"My lab I.D. card!" she answered, not even bothering to glance up. "Oh, I can't believe I lost it! Where could it be?"

"When was the last time you used it? Yesterday?"

"Yes, and I know I put it back in here. I need that card, Mako-chan! I can't get in without it."

"Then it's probably still in there," Makoto said, faintly amused by Ami's antics despite her friend's obvious distress over the missing card. She expected that kind of behavior from Usagi or Minako, but never from Ami, who was even more of a neat freak than she was. It almost made her wonder if she had somehow been transported to an alternate universe or something. "Calm down for a second and dump everything out of your purse. It'll be easier to look for it that way, instead of digging around in that thing."

"Good idea!"

As Makoto walked over and kneeled down on the floor to help, Ami turned her bag upside-down and spilled the contents onto the coffee table. They both started going through her things until Makoto managed to find a laminated card sticking halfway out of her wallet.

"Is this it?" she asked, holding up the photo I.D.

Relieved, Ami sighed. "Yes, it is," she said, taking the card and attaching it to her shirt with the clip provided. "Thank goodness. You're a godsend, Mako-chan!"

Makoto waved off the compliment. If she hadn't found it, she was sure Ami would have noticed it eventually. "It was nothing," she insisted, putting the wallet back in Ami's purse. "Here, let me help you gather everything up."

Grabbing a couple of more things, Makoto was about to dump them in the bag when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something unusual sitting on the corner of the table. At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than a regular powder compact, a staple in many women's purses, including hers. However, Makoto never knew Ami to carry one, and in fact, rarely saw her friend wear make-up at all. Setting down the things she had gathered, Makoto reached for the white case and barely managed to hold back a surprised gasp as she picked it up.

Though she knew exactly what it was upon closer inspection, Makoto still couldn't resist asking, "What's this?"

In response, Ami paled significantly, her eyes widening as she stared at the incriminating compact in Makoto's hand. "They're…uh…birth control pills," she answered softly.

Even hearing the words aloud, straight from Ami's mouth, Makoto still had trouble believing it was true. Why on Earth would innocent, virginal Ami, the girl who couldn't even receive a love letter without breaking out into a rash, be carrying around a case of birth control pills? Maybe she really had been sent to an alternate universe after all.

"But why?" she asked as Ami finally took the case from her and placed it back in the purse. "Are they yours?"

Ami nodded and glanced down at her hands, which she had folded primly on her lap. A soft pink color tinged her cheeks, giving her back some color. "Um… It's just that I've been experiencing really bad menstrual cramps lately," she quickly explained. "My gynecologist suggested I go on birth control to help lessen the pain, that's all."

"I guess that makes sense…"

To be honest, though, Makoto sensed Ami was lying. She was getting the same feeling she got the morning when Ami first stayed out all night and told her that she had spent the night with her mother. At the time, she had decided to ignore it, not wanting Ami to think she was mothering her, but, with the discovery of the birth control pills, things were finally starting to come together.

Why was she hiding it, though?

Unfortunately, before Makoto got the chance to question Ami further, her roommate glanced down at her watch and jumped up from the couch. "Oh, no, now I really am going to be late!" Ami gasped, unceremoniously pushing the rest of her things off the table and into her purse before heading to the door. "I'll see you later, Mako-chan!"

"Wait!" Makoto called after her. "What time will you be coming home tonight? I was thinking of making lasagna for dinner."

At the door, Ami stopped, her hand on the doorknob, and turned back around. "Dinner?" she repeated. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm having dinner with okaa-san tonight. I'll probably spend the night, so don't expect me home until morning."

"Again?" It was the third night that week Ami claimed she was going to visit her mother.

"She misses me, I guess," Ami replied with a soft smile and a shrug of her shoulders, "but don't worry, I promise tomorrow night I'm all yours. You can make your lasagna then."

"Sure," Makoto agreed, really having no choice in the matter.

"See you tomorrow, then."

"Bye!"

Once Ami left, Makoto let out a loud sigh as she rose from her kneeling position at the coffee table and took a seat on the couch. Lately, it seemed as if her roommate was a completely different person, and it all had started that fateful night when Ami hadn't come home. Makoto would bet her entire week's paycheck that whatever had happened that night -- and she had her suspicions -- was the cause of the change in her roommate, but where had she gone?

Unable to deny her curiosity any longer, Makoto headed to the phone, hesitating for a long moment before finally dialing one of the numbers on their contact sheet. She might not know where Ami had slept that night or any of the other nights since then when she claimed to be visiting her mother, but Makoto could confirm her suspicions that her roommate was lying about something. Bringing the phone up to her ear, it rang five times before somebody finally answered.

"Hello?"

"Mizuno-sensei? This is Kino Makoto, Ami-chan's roommate."

"Oh, Kino-san, how nice to hear from you," Dr. Mizuno Saeko said, sounding genuinely pleased. "How are things?"

"Fine, thank you," Makoto replied, not elaborating any further. It was not the time for small talk, and she was afraid that if she waited any longer, she would lose her nerve. It didn't feel right to pry into Ami's private life behind her back, but her behavior as of late was very suspicious. "Um, Mizuno-sensei, may I speak to Ami-chan?" she asked, knowing perfectly well Ami was on her way to the lab.

"Ami?" Just as Makoto suspected, Ami's mother seemed surprised and confused by the request. "I'm sorry, but Ami isn't here," the doctor informed her.

"Do you know when she plans to arrive?" Makoto asked, on the off-chance that Ami really was telling the truth, and they did have dinner plans together later.

"Here? I didn't know Ami planned to visit."

Makoto frowned upon hearing that, though the answer was expected. It looked as if her suspicions about Ami were correct after all. "You mean you don't have plans for dinner?"

"No, none that I know about. In fact, I was just on my way out to work the night shift at the hospital when I got your call."

"Oh, I must have misunderstood her, then."

"Is everything alright with Ami?" Ami's mother asked, a tinge of worry in her voice. "Nothing's wrong, is it?"

"No, everything's fine," Makoto assured her with false cheerfulness. There was no point in worrying Dr. Mizuno when she herself wasn't completely sure what Ami was hiding. "I'm sure I just heard her wrong, that's all."

"Well, tell my daughter that I would love to have both you and her over sometime for dinner when I do have the night off," she said. "It seems as it has been weeks since I talked to her last."

"Thank you, that sounds lovely, Mizuno-sensei. I'll relay the message and have Ami-chan call you to work out the details. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Placing the phone back in its cradle, Makoto's frowned deepened. Unintentionally, Dr. Mizuno had also blown Ami's alibi for the other nights as well with her comment about not having spoken to her daughter in weeks -- in itself, also a strange occurrence. They both had insanely busy schedules, but, usually, they tried to chat at least once a week, whether it was face-to-face or over the phone. It was definitely strange for Ami to blow off her mother like that.

"Ami-chan, what are you hiding from us?"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'll take 'Broadway Stars' for 400, Alex-san."

On the TV, the camera cut to a quick shot of the graying host of the popular American game show before the screen turned blue, revealing the clue. "This English soprano, once married to Andrew Lloyd Webber, originated the role of Christine in his _The Phantom of the Opera,_ " the dubbed voice of Alex Trebek read aloud in Japanese for those who could not read the white English text.

"Who is Sarah Brightman?" Ami automatically answered along with the married father of three who was fortunate enough to hit the buzzer first.

"That is correct, John-san. You now have control of the board."

"Let's go to 'Chemistry' for 800."

Again, the screen went blue. "This law states that the product of the volume and pressure of a fixed quantity of an ideal gas is constant, given constant temperature."

Akira smiled. Too easy.

"Boyle's Law," he declared confidently, only to hear his girlfriend, who was snuggling against him on the couch, her free hand absent-mindedly petting a content Mercury, make a buzzing sound.

"Wrong!"

"What?!" Akira exclaimed in surprise. "What do you mean I'm wrong? Are you challenging my undisputed authority on all things related to the field of chemistry?"

Ami shook her head. "No, but you forgot to give your response in the form of a question," she reminded him. "Again."

"Damn!" That was the third time that night he had forgotten to answer the clue with a question. Stupid American game show. "Hey, let's watch something else," Akira suggested, reaching for the remote control sitting on the end table and flipping through the channels.

Giggling as he channel surfed, Ami rolled her eyes at the Corgi half-sitting on her legs. "Oh, Mercury, your master is such a sore loser," she teased, rubbing one of the dog's ears just the way Mercury liked it. Despite being a confessed cat person, Ami got along famously with the sometimes over-protective dog.

"I am not!" Akira replied in his defense. "I just happen to think it's stupid to give the answer and expect people -- ah, now this is more like it!"

He had stopped on the sports channel, which was broadcasting a highlights show of the All-Star series. Looking over, however, Ami wrinkled her nose, obviously not agreeing with his choice of entertainment.

"Baseball again?" she sighed. She had never been much of a fan of Akira's favorite sport, though she usually tried to feign a mild interest when they were watching a game. "I thought the season was already over."

"Don't make that face, Ami. Baseball is actually quite fascinating when you look at it from a scientific standpoint. The physics involved -- Hey!"

Before he got the chance to finish, Ami grabbed the remote from his hand and flipped the channel. "Here's something we can both enjoy -- _Someday's Dreamers _," she announced. "Look, it's my favorite episode, the one where Kera-san learns he has magic."__

__"Is that the new anime about the country girl who comes to Tokyo to train for her mage's license?" he asked._ _

__"Yes!"_ _

__Akira groaned. At Ami's insistence, he had seen a few episodes of the anime, his girlfriend's new favorite, and found it to be mind-numbingly dull, though he did have to admit it was beautifully animated. As far as he was concerned, the only good thing about it was the voluptuous D.J. Milinda, with her black leather micro-mini and generous cleavage._ _

__"Ami, nothing interesting ever happens on this show!" he complained for the hundredth time._ _

__"Just because it doesn't have mecha or fighting doesn't mean it isn't interesting. It's a touching and subtly emotional coming-of-age story about learning what is important in life and accepting who you are."_ _

__"I still say it's boring," he insisted. "I mean, would it have killed the animators to put in at least one full-body shot shower scene of Yume-chan instead of that disappointing headshot? Or better yet, Milinda-san?"_ _

__The comment earned him a playful slap on the arm. "Pervert!" Ami teased, the once-shy girl more accustomed to his sometimes perverted sense of humor than when they first started dating._ _

__"Hey, I'm only asking for equality in fan service. If Oyamada-sensei and Kera-san can walk around shirtless, then I think it's only fair that the girls should have to show some skin as well. Right, Mercury?"_ _

__Mercury barked in reply, causing Ami to roll her navy blue eyes. "Please! As if _Love Hina_ is an equal opportunity anime."_ _

__"That's different."_ _

__"How?"_ _

__"Uh…it just is!" he declared, once again taking control of the remote. Deciding they had watched enough television for the night, Akira clicked off the set and placed the remote back on the table. "Better?" he asked, wrapping his arms around Ami._ _

__"Much."_ _

__Ami snuggled closer against his body, her cheek pressed against his chest and her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. She sighed in contentment, and Akira smiled, landing a soft kiss on the top of her hair._ _

__It really was quiet moments like these he treasured the most -- the times when words were superfluous and it was just enough to be together, holding each other in one another's arms. There was such a peaceful tranquility about it, as if they were the only two people left in the world, a world in which they were no longer student and teacher, but simply Ami and Akira, young lovers with their entire lives ahead of them._ _

__Still, there were times when he wished things were different. It wasn't fair that Ami -- a beautiful, vibrant, young girl -- should be forced to hide her feelings for him as if they were something shameful and wrong. How jealous she must feel sometimes, watching her friends and peers parade their boyfriends in front of her and knowing that, at least for the present, she couldn't tell them about him. Akira couldn't even take her out on a proper date, their romantic lives virtually confined to his apartment and whatever moments they could steal in the lab in fear that somebody else from the school would discover their affair. Of course, Ami never once complained, insisting that she preferred to stay in anyway, but there were so many places he wished he could take her: the planetarium, museums, concerts, maybe even a baseball game or two._ _

__Shifting his body on the couch so that his head rested on the armrest and Ami lay on top of him, Akira sighed._ _

__"I'm sorry, Ami."_ _

__She partially propped herself up, staring down at him in confusion. "For what?" she asked._ _

__"For this." With his free arm, Akira indicated the apartment. "I wish we could go out on a real date. You must be so bored of this apartment by now."_ _

__Ami shook her head. "Not at all," she replied with a slight smile. "As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter where we are."_ _

__"Really?"_ _

__A faint pink blush painted her cheeks, and she nodded._ _

__Smiling, partially in relief, but mostly in happiness, Akira brushed a wayward strand of Ami's blue hair back behind her ear, amazed as always by her understated beauty. "I feel the same way," he said truthfully._ _

__Bringing her head back down, Akira gently kissed Ami's slightly parted lips, the taste of her cherry-flavored chapstick -- the only make-up she wore -- adding to the sweetness. Her blush deepened more, but Ami didn't pull away, instead shifting her body to give him better access. The one kiss became two, then three and four and five…_ _

__They were so involved in each other, neither remembered they still had company until they heard a loud bark coming the foot of the couch. During the quiet that had followed turning off the TV, Mercury had been lulled into a light sleep, but he received a rude awakening when Akira accidentally kicked him with his foot. The dog, now wide awake and jealous of the attention being lavished by his master on his lover, made his displeasure known, barking and growling until they finally pulled apart, laughing._ _

__Akira rolled his eyes. "That dog," he muttered, though affectionately. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to Mercury's territorial behavior. The dog hadn't been too fond of the attention he had given to Maeko either whenever his ex-fiancée had come over. "Why don't we take this to the other room?" he suggested, nodding his head in the direction of his bedroom. "Away from prying eyes?"_ _

__Blushing, Ami nodded her consent and pushed herself up so that Akira could stand. He then took her hand, and pulling her up from the couch, lead her to the bedroom. Whimpering, Mercury followed, but Akira managed to stop the dog with his foot, lightly pushing him away._ _

__"Sorry, boy, no dogs allowed."_ _

__And with that, he closed the door._ _

__\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__"Mako-chan, I'm home," Ami called out the next morning as she entered their apartment, the air filled with mouth-watering scents, and slipped out of her shoes. "Mmm, something smells delicious. Are you making pancakes?"_ _

__Walking in the kitchen, she found the tall brunette busy at the stove, expertly flipping a pancake high in the air before catching it on the spatula and neatly setting it back in the pan. Makoto, sensing Ami's presence, turned around and greeted her roommate with a smile. "Yes, I am," she replied. "Have you already had breakfast?"_ _

__"I grabbed a granola bar before I left my mother's," Ami lied, the words becoming almost second nature to her after telling the fib for so long, "but you know I always have room for your blueberry pancakes."_ _

__Ami took a seat at the small breakfast nook in the corner, and once Makoto finished transferring the last pancake to the top of the large stack she had already made, she brought the plate to the table. However, she didn't immediately start to serve, instead staring at Ami with a confused look on her face._ _

__"Ami-chan, where were you last night?" Makoto unexpectedly asked, causing Ami to glance up at her roommate in surprise._ _

__"W-What do you mean? I told you I was at okaa-san's apartment."_ _

__"No, you weren't." Makoto placed a couple of the warm pancakes on Ami's plate before taking a seat opposite of her, her face deadly serious as emerald green eyes met sapphire blue. "Ami-chan, I called Mizuno-sensei last night after you left for the lab," she confessed. "She wasn't aware of any plans for you two to meet for dinner. In fact, when I called, she was on her way to the hospital to work a shift."_ _

__"You called okaa-san?!" Ami never even considered the possibility that Makoto would actually check out her alibi. Her mother and her roommate were on friendly terms, but not so friendly that they would call each other out of the blue without Ami's knowledge. Even on the rare occasions when Makoto had needed to contact her when she was staying over at Akira's, she always called Ami's cell phone, not her mother's phone._ _

__"I was worried about you," Makoto admitted. "You've been acting strange these last couple of months."_ _

__"Strange?" Forcing out a nervous laugh, Ami reached for the syrup and began pouring a generous helping over the pancakes. "You're imagining things, Mako-chan. I'm the same as I've always been."_ _

__"No, you're not. The Ami-chan I know doesn't lie about where she spends the night."_ _

__"It was one time," she protested, knowing as soon as the words came out of her mouth how pathetic they were._ _

__Makoto gave her a disbelieving look. "You're lying again!" she accused. "Mizuno-sensei said she hasn't spoken to you in weeks."_ _

__"Well…uh…"_ _

__Flustered, Ami started to blush, her brain working overtime to think of another lie, but before she could, Makoto's face softened, her lips pursing in a small, knowing smile. "Listen, you don't have to lie to me anymore," she said, her voice losing some of the edge from before. "If you have a boyfriend, you can tell me. I won't be jealous. I'm happy for you."_ _

__"A b-boyfriend?" How could she have possibly guessed? "What makes you think I have a boyfriend?"_ _

__"Please!" Makoto rolled her eyes. "I may not be as smart as you are, but I managed to put together the pieces: that mystery lunch you made a few months ago, staying out all night, lying about where you were, carrying around birth control pills… There's really only one explanation."_ _

__"Oh!" Before she could stop it, Ami's hand accidentally hit a glass of orange juice sitting nearby, tipping it over._ _

__Makoto laughed as Ami reached for some napkins and began soaking up the orange liquid. "I'll take that to mean I guessed correctly," she said, helping with the clean-up. "So, who is the lucky guy? Do I know him? Why all the secrecy?"_ _

__Though she knew she had been caught in her web of lies, Ami still refused to admit defeat. No matter what, she couldn't allow her roommate, or anybody else for that matter, to find out she was dating one of her college professors, especially since they had already had one close call with Dr. Nakajima discovering their secret. "Mako-chan, I didn't say I had a boyfriend," Ami reminded her, her voice remarkably calm considering her pulse had just quickened to twice its normal speed and her heart was pounding against her chest._ _

__"Oh, stop trying to deny it. It's written all over your face," Makoto said, throwing away one of the soaking paper towels. "I'm just wondering why you haven't told us about him yet. Things must be pretty serious between you two if you're on the Pill and sleeping over at his place at least twice a week. Don't you want us to meet him?"_ _

__"It's not that," she sighed. It was becoming obvious that Makoto would not let the subject of her boyfriend drop._ _

__"Then invite him to come over for dinner tonight. We're having lasagna, so there should be plenty to eat. I want to meet the man who finally managed to win Mizuno Ami's heart."_ _

__"I can't."_ _

__"Sure you can. Then after dinner's over, I'll head over to Minako-chan's apartment or the shrine so you two lovebirds can have the whole place to yourself."_ _

__"You really don't have to do that, Mako-chan…"_ _

__"It's not a problem," the brunette insisted. "In fact, now that you have a boyfriend, maybe we should come up with some kind of secret code to let the other person know when one of us is entertaining guests." Placing a finger on her chin, Makoto only had to think a second before snapping her fingers. "Hey, how about a tie on the doorknob?" she suggested. "That's a classic!"_ _

__"Mako-chan!" Completely horrified by the idea, Ami turned as bright as a ripe tomato and emphatically shook her head. "No tie! No signal! Absolutely not!"_ _

__"Why are you getting so bent out of shape, Ami-chan? It's nothing to be embarrassed about."_ _

__"You just don't understand," Ami said, sliding back down in her chair._ _

__"Well, make me understand. Why don't you want your mystery lover to come over?"_ _

__"Because…um…he's kind of…um…"_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"Married," Ami blurted out, regretting the lie as soon as she said it._ _

__However, as horrible a lie as it was, it seemed to do the trick. Makoto's eyes widened to almost twice their normal size, and sitting back down at the table, she stared at Ami as if she had suddenly grown a second head. "Married?!" she squeaked._ _

__It was too late to take the lie back. Having no choice but to continue with the charade, Ami nodded, her eyes cast downwards. "Separated, actually," she said, hoping it made things sound a little better._ _

__Makoto shook her head in disbelief. "I never thought I would see the day: Mizuno Ami stole another woman's man."_ _

__"I didn't _steal_ anyone," Ami insisted. "He and his wife were already separated when I met him, but we're trying to keep our relationship secret until the divorce is finalized."_ _

__"And when will that be?"_ _

__"I don't know. Apparently, his wife is fairly wealthy, and they've been fighting over the settlement…" Ami let the rest of the explanation trail off, not caring to elaborate any further on her supposed "affair." The less she told Makoto, the better. It was bad enough that she was still lying to her best friend without complicating things even further. "Anyway, now do you understand why I don't want to introduce him to you and the other girls?" she asked._ _

__"Crystal clear," Makoto said, nodding. "I promise, no more questions. And I won't tell the others, either."_ _

__Ami let out a sigh of relief. Maybe her lie wasn't such a bad thing after all. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."_ _

__Glancing down at her watch, Ami was surprised to see that it was almost time for her to head to her first class of the day. If she didn't hurry, she would be late. She took a couple of bites from her pancake and gulped down the rest of the orange juice left in the glass she had knocked over earlier before standing. "Well, I have to get to class," she announced. "Are we still on for lasagna night?"_ _

__"Sure, if you don't have any plans."_ _

__"No, no plans. I'll see you around eight. Bye!"_ _

__"Bye!"_ _

__\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__Akira was looking something up on the computer when Ami arrived at the lab that afternoon, but glancing over at his girlfriend as she took off her jacket and slipped into a lab coat, he immediately sensed something was wrong. She didn't seem as enthusiastic as she normally did when she arrived for work. Minimizing the window on the computer, Akira stood and walked over to the coat closet beside the door._ _

__"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, helping her slip her arm into the other sleeve of the coat._ _

__"Wrong?" Ami repeated, acting oblivious. "What makes you think something's wrong?"_ _

__"Don't even try to tell me there's not something bothering you; I could sense it the moment you walked in the room."_ _

__"It's nothing," she insisted with a sigh. "It's just that…"_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"My roommate almost found out about us this morning."_ _

__Akira, to his credit, kept his cool, though a part of him felt as if he'd just barely missed getting hit by a moving bus. First Dr. Nakajima, now Ami's roommate… "What do you mean she almost found out about us?" he asked, running his hand through his hair. "How?"_ _

__"It's okay," she was quick to assure him. "I managed to convince her that I was seeing a married man, and that was why we needed to keep our relationship a secret, but I hate lying to her. Mako-chan is one of my best friends."_ _

__Pulling her toward him, Akira enveloped Ami in a comforting hug, knowing how she must feel. "Oh, Ami, I'm sorry you have to go through this," he apologized, kissing the top of her head. "I know it must be tough, keeping us a secret from the people you love."_ _

__"It is, but I knew what I was getting into when we agreed to continue seeing each other," she said, sighing as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I just wish…"_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"I wish we could go someplace far away, where we didn't have to worry about hiding how we feel about each other, Someplace where nobody knew who we were."_ _

__It took all Akira's willpower not to chuckle as he glanced over her head at his laptop, thinking of the absolute irony of it all. Just before she arrived, he had been surfing the web for just that, a place for them to spend the holidays in complete secrecy. After all, Ami wasn't the only one who needed a break from all the pressure of keeping their relationship a secret. The trip was supposed to be a surprise, but considering her mood, Akira thought she could use something to which to look forward._ _

__"Well, why don't we?" Akira asked, trying to sound as casual as possible._ _

__"Why don't we what?"_ _

__"Go away together, just the two of us."_ _

__"What?" Pulling away from his embrace, Ami looked up at him and laughed. "Akira, no, we can't," she protested. "It's a nice idea, but we couldn't possibly take a vacation together."_ _

__"Why not? Winter break starts begins soon."_ _

__"You're serious."_ _

__"Dead," he replied, smiling as he saw Ami's eyes go wide. "You don't have any plans, do you?"_ _

__Still in shock, Ami shook her head. "No, okaa-san will be away at a medical conference during the holidays, so I was planning to stay home and hang out with my friends."_ _

__"Great. Then there's nothing stopping us."_ _

__"Akira, is this a good idea?" Ami asked, cautious as always. "If anybody saw us together --"_ _

__"They won't," he assured her, leading her over to his laptop and pulling back up the page he had been looking at before Ami came in. "Here, look at this place."_ _

__The website advertised a small, but beautiful, ski resort located in the mountains near Nagano. In addition to the ten luxury suites in the main building, there were six private cabins available for rent. The site promised world-class skiing, along with delicious cuisine and a romantic atmosphere "perfect for lovers," as quoted by the owner on the home page._ _

__"It's beautiful, Akira," Ami breathed, clicking on one of the links to look at pictures of the lodge, "but isn't this place expensive?"_ _

__"Don't worry about the cost," Akira said. Looking over her shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. "I would sell my soul for the chance to have you all to myself for an entire week."_ _

__"B-But --"_ _

__"No buts. Just imagine how wonderful it would be. Days skiing on the slopes, evenings cuddling by the fireplace, nights spent in ecstasy…"_ _

__Akira grinned when he noticed the flushed look on Ami's face, her cheeks colored a rosy pink. He knew he was wearing down her resolve._ _

__"It does sound tempting," she admitted. "It's been ages since I've been skiing."_ _

__"Then say 'yes,'" he urged, spinning the swivel chair around so that they were face-to-face. "Ami, who knows when we'll have another chance like this. It's the perfect time for us to get away, to go someplace where nobody knows who we are. Don't you want that?"_ _

__"More than anything."_ _

__"So what's stopping us?"_ _

__Ami hesitated for a moment, considering the question, before her face broke out into a joyous smile. "Nothing," she answered, throwing her arms around his neck. "Absolutely nothing."_ _

__"Is that a yes, then?" he grinned, already knowing the answer to the question._ _

__"Yes, yes, yes!"_ _

__\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__The sound of somebody's slightly off-pitch humming of the holiday classic "White Christmas" greeted Makoto as she entered the apartment later that evening, home after working a shift at the restaurant. Raising an eyebrow, she slipped out of her shoes and headed to the kitchen, where she found the blue-haired singer tossing together a salad as a side dish for the lasagna they would be having for dinner._ _

__"Well, somebody's in a good mood," Makoto commented from the doorway, letting out a chuckle when, startled by her presence, Ami jumped and accidentally tossed some of the lettuce out of the large wooden bowl._ _

__"Mako-chan, don't scare me like that!" Ami admonished as she turned around and playfully wagged one of her spoons in Makoto's direction. "When did you get home?"_ _

__"Just a couple of minutes ago." Taking over the fixing of the salad, Makoto grinned at her roommate, who began cleaning up the small mess she had made. "So, what's with the Christmas carols?" she asked. "Christmas isn't for a couple more weeks."_ _

__"It's nothing. I'm just happy."_ _

__"That much is obvious. What happened? Good day at school?"_ _

__"Something like that," Ami replied mysteriously, tossing away the ruined lettuce._ _

__As her roommate opened the refrigerator and grabbed a tomato, Makoto rolled her eyes. "Come on, Ami-chan, tell me," she said. "Something obviously happened to put you in such a good mood."_ _

__"Well…" Blushing, Ami focused her attention on slicing the tomato. "Okay, I suppose I'll eventually have to tell you anyway. Guess where I'm going for the holidays."_ _

__"I give up. Where?"_ _

__"Nagano."_ _

__"Nagano?" Makoto repeated. "But isn't your mother going to that medical conference in Hong Kong?"_ _

__"She is. My, uh, boyfriend is renting us a cabin."_ _

__"Oh…" A knowing smile crossed Makoto's lips. "That certainly sounds romantic."_ _

__"Mako-chan!"_ _

__"Well, it does!" she insisted, sighing wistfully as she set down the spoons she had been using to toss the salad and leaned against the counter. "I sure wish I was spending the holidays with my lover in a gorgeous winter wonderland. You're so lucky!"_ _

__"It will be nice to spend some time alone," Ami admitted, "but what about you? Now I feel bad about abandoning you during the holiday season."_ _

__"Don't be, Ami-chan. I'll be fine."_ _

__"Are you sure?" she asked, some of her jubilation from earlier fading. "Because I don't have to go…"_ _

__Makoto shot her a reassuring smile, waving off her concerns. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little bit disappointed that they wouldn't be spending the holidays together, but she wasn't about to let Ami give up the chance of a lifetime on account of her. It sounded like a wonderful vacation, one the pre-med student richly deserved._ _

__"Nonsense! I'm happy for you," Makoto said. "Christmas Eve is one of the most romantic nights of the year, and you should be with your boyfriend. Don't let me get in the way of that."_ _

__"But what about the year-end cleaning before New Year's?"_ _

__"Are you kidding? I live for December 31st. If I need any help, I'm sure one of the girls will be happy to lend a hand, but honestly, I'm rather accustomed to doing the cleaning myself anyway."_ _

__"I'm glad." Her face brightening once again, Ami transferred the chopped tomatoes into the salad and took back over while Makoto put the frozen lasagna she had made the night before in the oven to reheat. "Oh, Mako-chan, can I ask you a really big favor?" she asked after a few minutes, almost bashfully._ _

__"Sure, what is it?"_ _

__"Well, even though okaa-san is going out of the country, I'm sure she's still going to want to know my plans, and since I can't exactly tell her I'm going skiing with my married boyfriend…"_ _

__"You want me to tell her that you're going with me?" Makoto guessed._ _

__"If she happens to bring it up."_ _

__Makoto sighed. "I can't believe you want me to lie to your mother," she said. "You're getting as bad as Minako-chan."_ _

__"Please? It's important to me."_ _

__"Fine, if it's that important," Makoto agreed, wagging a spoon in Ami's direction, "but consider this one of your Christmas presents."_ _

__"Thank you, Mako-chan!"_ _

__\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__About a week before Ami and Akira were to leave on their romantic Christmas get-away, her roommate managed to convince her to take a break from her constant studying to go shopping at the mall. At first, Ami, who had never been much of a shopper, hadn't been too thrilled with the prospect of fighting the holiday crowds, especially when she knew she should have been preparing for her chemistry final -- dating the teacher didn't automatically guarantee her an A, unfortunately -- but after the first twenty minutes, she couldn't help but get into the Christmas spirit._ _

__It was hard not to when all of Tokyo was aglow with the sights and sounds of the holidays. Everywhere they looked, bright lights and festive decorations decked the halls, and all of the stores were holding fantastic end of the year sales. Ami was able to find Christmas and New Year's presents for most of her friends and family, including a lovely floral-print scarf for Makoto, who had been busy trying on hats when Ami snuck off to pay for it, and a pair of gold earrings for her mother. In fact, the only person she had yet to buy a present for was Akira, who was proving more difficult to shop for than she expected._ _

__What kind of present did a girl give her boyfriend for the holidays, especially when said boyfriend was gifting her with a trip to a ridiculously expensive ski resort that he probably couldn't even afford? Ami had decided on the latest Sawai Ayaki novel for Mamoru and a small watercolor painting for her artist father that she knew he would love, but neither choice seemed quite right for Akira._ _

__After browsing through the entire collection of CDs at the music store and deciding that none of them would do, Ami finally decided it was time to get some professional help. For the first time since it happened, she was glad that Makoto knew that she had a boyfriend. Her more experienced friend was bound to have some good ideas of what she should give Akira for Christmas._ _

__"A present for your boyfriend?" Makoto repeated after Ami had tracked her down in the jazz section of the store and asked for her help. "I don't know, Ami-chan. I don't even know the guy's name, much less what he would like."_ _

__"Well, what kind of presents did you give your sempai?" Ami asked, hoping for inspiration._ _

__"Mostly cookies," she replied, smiling at the confused look on Ami's face. "Hey, we were in middle school," Makoto explained with a shrug. "It's not like I had the money to buy him expensive gifts. Besides, he always liked my cooking."_ _

__Ami sighed. "My cookies are decent, but nothing compared to yours."_ _

__"Then you can always make him something else. You were always really good at knitting, right? You could make him a scarf or a sweater or something like that."_ _

__"In a week, on top of studying for finals and my job at the lab?" Ami shook her head, rejecting the idea. "No, I think I probably should go ahead and buy something. There just isn't time."_ _

__"Hmm…"_ _

__Makoto was still pondering Ami's problem as they paid for their purchases and left the music store, rejoining the throng of holiday shoppers. Ami, noticing the video store they had passed earlier, debated going in and just buying that boxset of _RahXephon_ she knew Akira had his eye on, no matter how unromantic and impersonal a gift it was, when Makoto suddenly stopped in her tracks, nearly causing a seven-person collision._ _

__"I got it!" she exclaimed._ _

__Ami, who had accidentally been whacked by one of Makoto's shopping bags, rubbed her arm. "Got what?" she asked._ _

__"An idea of what you can buy for your boyfriend. Follow me."_ _

__Turning in the opposite direction of where they had been going, Makoto motioned Ami to come with her, giving Ami little choice in the matter if they didn't want to be separated in the crowd and waste valuable study time looking for each other. When Makoto finally stopped, they were standing in front of a store that Ami had never entered in her entire life._ _

__"Victoria's Secret?!" she squeaked when she saw the half-naked mannequins in the store's window, clad in miniscule thongs, lacy bras, and see-through nighties, all in the colors of the season._ _

__"Your boyfriend's bound to love anything you get from here," Makoto declared confidently as Ami started to blush._ _

__"B-But… Ak-- I mean, my boyfriend -- he's not like that. He doesn't wear --"_ _

__Green eyes blinked once in confusion before Makoto realized the misunderstanding. "Of course he doesn't, Ami-chan!" she laughed. "He's not going to wear it; you are."_ _

__"But I thought we were looking for a present for him."_ _

__"It is. Guys love it when their girlfriends wear sexy lingerie, or at least that's what Usagi-chan claims, and Mamoru-san seems pretty happy, so come on."_ _

__Reluctantly, Ami entered the store behind Makoto, her eyes averted from the provocative images on the walls and some of the more risqué pieces of lingerie. Not all the merchandise was as overly revealing, though, and, spotting some relatively modest nightgowns, Ami stopped to browse as Makoto looked at some nearby bras._ _

__"This is kind of pretty," Ami remarked, plucking a plum-colored satin chemise from the rack and holding it against her body as she turned toward her roommate. "What do you think, Mako-chan? Nice color, smooth fabric…"_ _

__The brunette glanced up and immediately let out a disappointed sigh when she saw Ami's choice. "Ami-chan, you have three nightgowns exactly like that one."_ _

__"I do not. This one's purple, and look at the lace at the hem and neckline. It's completely different."_ _

__Rolling her eyes, Makoto walked over to another nearby rack and pulled out her choice -- a lacy teddy that left little to the imagination. "How about this? He'll love it."_ _

__"Mako-chan!" Ami's face turned the exact same shade of red as the leather bustier adorning the mannequin she stood beside._ _

__"Not your style? Too bad." Makoto put both nightgowns back on the rack, then, with a wicked gleam in her eye, took Ami's wrist, pulling her toward the back. "I have just the thing to put you two in the Christmas spirit. Minako-chan and I saw it the last time we were here," she explained, stopping in front of another mannequin. "Ta-da! Isn't it perfect for Christmas Eve?"_ _

__While Ami appreciated her friend's sense of humor, the outfit on the mannequin was the worst yet. It consisted of a short, red, sheer baby-doll, trimmed with fake white fur and a "belt" just underneath the breasts, and a matching pair of thong underwear. The crowning glory, though, was the free, fur-trimmed hat that came with purchase. If the inspiration for the lingerie was lost before, there was no mistaking it after seeing that hat._ _

__"Mako-chan, I couldn't possibly wear that!" Ami protested._ _

__"Why not? It's not like he hasn't seen you in less before, right?"_ _

__"That may be the case, but --"_ _

__"I think you would look cute wearing it. At least consider it," Makoto urged, grabbing one off the rack and handing it to Ami to inspect._ _

__"I don't know… I'm not exactly a 'thong' person…"_ _

__"If you're worried about it not being comfortable, they're really not that bad once you get used to them."_ _

__"You've worn one before?" Ami asked, surprised._ _

__"Well, thongs are an easy way to get rid of unwanted panty-lines," she explained, with only the barest hint of a blush._ _

__Holding the baby-doll back up, Ami sighed. She supposed it wasn't that bad. At least it covered more than the teddy Makoto showed her before. "I guess it is rather cute," she admitted._ _

__"And it's not as if you'll have to wear it for long…" the brunette teased._ _

__"Mako-chan!" Playfully, Ami slapped her friend on the arm. "I never knew you were so perverted!"_ _

__"So, are you going to buy it?" she asked._ _

__After a moment of silent deliberation, Ami finally folded it over her arm to take to the counter. At worst, she and Akira would at least get a good laugh out of it, though she doubted she would ever get the courage to wear something so ridiculous. She would just have to find something else to give as his "real" present._ _

__"Okay, you talked me into it," Ami declared._ _

__They decided to look around the store for a few more minutes before checking out, picking up a few more things along the way. Ami, who was feeling bolder after deciding to buy the Santa-inspired lingerie, selected a pretty pale pink nightgown, a black teddy that was far more modest than the one Makoto had wanted her to buy though still rather risqué, and a couple of G-strings at her roommate's insistence. She also picked up the purple chemise she had admired earlier, along with a matching robe, and a cute pair of flannel pajamas. Makoto, on the other hand, stocked up on matching bra and panty sets, claiming they were the only brand that provided the comfort and support she needed. Once they had finished paying and visited a couple more stores, they decided it was time to head back home._ _

__"I can't believe you talked me into buying so much lingerie!" Ami exclaimed as they left the mall, weighed down with about a dozen bags between them._ _

__"Trust me, your boyfriend -- whoever the heck he is -- is going to love seeing you in those," Makoto assured her. "You'll make his Christmas."_ _

__Ami sighed. "I still wasn't about able to find him a real present, though, and we're supposed to be leaving in a week."_ _

__"I'm sure you'll think of the perfect gift eventually," Makoto assured her._ _

__"I hope so…"_ _


	9. Chapter 9

The day of the trip had finally arrived. Akira woke up even earlier than usual that morning, partly from excitement and partly because he and Ami had decided it would be best to get an early start. Climbing out of bed, he got dressed in a pair of jeans and a heavy sweater, then headed to the kitchen for a simple breakfast of oatmeal and coffee.

As soon as he finished eating, the phone in the living room began to ring. Akira answered the phone and smiled when he heard his girlfriend's voice on the other line.

"I can't believe today's the day," Ami said. "Two whole weeks during which we don't have to hide who we are. I can't wait."

"Me neither," he agreed whole-heartedly. The day had been a long time coming. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Yeah. All I have to do is pack up a few toiletries and say goodbye to Mako-chan, then I'll head over to your apartment."

"Ami, are you sure you don't mind coming over here?" he asked, not for the first time since they finalized the plans. "I hate the thought of you having to drag all your things over here."

"It's not a problem. I already called the taxi company, and they're sending me a car. Besides, it's not like you have a car either."

"Yes, but --"

"It's safer this way, " she assured him. "I don't want to risk anybody seeing you and figuring out our secret."

Akira again started to protest, until he realized she was probably right. Besides, he didn't want to ruin the little surprise he had parked outside in the parking lot -- on loan from Dr. Nakajima. "Okay, I'll meet you outside the building in about half an hour," he said. "Bye!"

"Bye!"

After hanging up the phone, Akira started gathering some of Mercury's things and threw them into a large duffel bag. While he and Ami were gone, Matsuno Hideki had generously agreed to dog-sit the excitable Corgi, who seemed to sense something was amiss. Dark brown eyes filled with sadness as Mercury watched him pack.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Akira said the third time he passed by couch where the dog lay and noticed Mercury giving him the most pathetic puppy-dog face he had ever seen. "It's only going to be for a couple of weeks. You'll hardly notice I'm gone."

Mercury whimpered as Akira tossed one of his favorite chew toys into the bag.

"It's not like I'm sending you to stay with some stranger or at one of those kennels. You'll be right next door at Matsuno-kun's place. You like Matsuno-kun, remember?"

The dog, in response to the question, turned his head to the side in a huff. If Akira didn't know better, he would think that Mercury was actually giving him the silent treatment.

"You know I would take you if I could, boy, but the inn doesn't allow pets. You probably wouldn't like it anyway. There's lots of snow and ice, and you know how you hate the cold weather…"

Pushing his guilt away, Akira shook his head in mild disbelief and zipped up the bag. It truly was amazing how a pet had the power to manipulate its owner's emotions with just a look and a whimper, but he was not going to let Mercury ruin his vacation. The dog would be fine.

"Come on, Merc," he sighed, attaching a leash to the Corgi's collar and throwing the bag over his shoulder. "Ami's going to be here soon, and I need to take you over to Matsuno-kun's."

It took some prodding, but, reluctantly, Mercury hopped off the couch and followed Akira down the hall to Matsuno's apartment. Akira knocked on the door, and a few moments later, the computer science major answered, evidently having just woken up. He had a major case of bed-head and was still dressed in the clothes he had slept in: sweats and a ratty T-shirt that said _King of the Geeks_ in faded lettering.

"Kitagawa-sensei?" Matsuno said, struggling not to let out a yawn. It looked like he could barely keep his eyes open. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, Matsuno-kun," Akira apologized, feeling bad he had awakened the hard-working student so early on the first day of vacation. "I didn't mean to wake you, but I'll be leaving in a few minutes, so I wanted to drop Mercury off. You do still want to take care of him while I'm gone?"

"Oh, yeah, of course. Come in." Moving aside, Matsuno showed Akira inside his apartment. "Do you have time for some coffee?" he offered.

"I wouldn't mind another cup," Akira replied. "It's going to be a long trip. I can use all the caffeine I can get."

As Matsuno headed to the kitchen to fix the coffee, Akira kneeled down and unattached the leash from Mercury's collar, tossing it in the bag with all the rest of Mercury's things. Free from his restraints, the Corgi immediately took to investigating his new home for the next two weeks, running around the small living room and sniffing the furniture.

"He's not going to tear anything up, is he?" Matsuno asked worriedly from the kitchen, which was only separated from the living room by a bar.

Putting the duffel bag on the coffee table, Akira sat down in one of the chairs and shook his head. "No, Mercury is generally very well-behaved. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

"Good." Matsuno came out of the kitchen a couple of minutes later and handed Akira one of the coffee mugs he carried. "So, where are you going again, Kitagawa-sensei?" he asked, taking a seat on the couch.

"Nagano, my hometown. A friend and I will be staying at a ski resort until Christmas morning, then we'll spend the rest of vacation at my folks' place. I wrote down the numbers, along with the vet's, and put them in the front pocket of the bag, in case you need to get a hold of me while we're gone," Akira informed him, taking a sip of his coffee. "Oh, you'll also remember to get my mail, as well?"

"Yes, sir. Not a problem."

"I hope I'm not being too much of an imposition, Matsuno-kun."

"You're not; I'm happy to do it," the younger man assured him. "I don't have any real plans for the holidays myself. My parents are taking a much-deserved cruise, and my older sister is spending the holidays with her fiancé and his family, so it'll just be me and Yui. She'll be staying here since the dorms are closed for vacation."

"Ah, Yokoyama-san," Akira said with a knowing smile. "She told me you two were dating. She's not allergic to dogs, is she?"

"Not that I know of."

"Good."

The rest of their conversation consisted mostly of instructions for taking care of Mercury, which didn't take very long. Two meals a day, one in the morning and one at night, and regularly scheduled walks were pretty much all the dog required. Once he was assured Matsuno had all the required information, Akira said goodbye to Mercury, then, noticing the time, headed downstairs to meet with Ami.

The taxi pulled up to the building right on schedule. As Ami got out of the car, Akira started retrieving her things from the trunk the cabbie had popped open and set them on the sidewalk.

"Akira, what are you doing?" she asked, confused. "And where are your suitcases? I thought we were taking the taxi to the train station."

"Slight change of plans," he replied, reaching into the pocket of his jeans and pulling out some money. "Here, pay the cabbie and I'll explain."

"What? But how will we --?"

"Just trust me, Ami."

She seemed doubtful, but, still, she took the money and went to pay the driver. By the time she finished, Akira had unloaded all of her luggage and was shutting the trunk closed.

"Okay, do you mind telling me what this is about?" she demanded to know as the taxi drove off. "How are we supposed to get to the station with all our stuff? You don't expect us to take the bus, do you?"

"Of course not," he said, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a set of keys. "Just wait here. Your carriage awaits."

Leaving Ami to wait on the sidewalk in front of the building with her luggage, Akira headed toward the stylish black sedan parked near the back of the lot. It actually belonged to Dr. Nakajima, but the professor had gone out of town for the holidays and had offered to lend the car to Akira once he heard of the plans for their trip. Akira got in the car and drove it over to where a surprised Ami was waiting, her dark blue eyes widening when she saw him exiting the driver's side to help her load her things. His luggage had already been packed in the trunk the night before to save time.

"Akira, where did you get this?" she asked, looking in at the rather luxurious leather interior of the car through one of the windows. "You didn't buy this, did you?"

Chuckling, Akira opened the trunk and began loading her bags. "On my salary? I don't think so," he joked. "Nakajima-sensei loaned it to me for the holidays. I thought it would be safer."

"Safer?"

"There's bound to be more than a few people from the school at the train station," he explained. "Everybody's heading home for Christmas and New Year's, so I thought it would be less risky if we drove to Nagano ourselves instead of taking the train."

"Good point," she agreed, tossing one of her smaller bags in the trunk.

When they finished loading Ami's things in the trunk -- luckily, she hadn't packed much, so there was plenty of room -- and tied her skis to the top of the car with his, they both got in the car, and Akira slowly started to pull out of the parking lot, trying to remember the rules of the road. It had been a few years since he was last behind the wheel, and his nervousness must have shown because Ami arched a questioning eyebrow in his direction.

"Akira, you do have a valid driver's license, don't you?" she asked when he let a prime opportunity to get on the road pass by.

"Valid? Yeah, sure," he replied with a forced chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got it renewed my last birthday."

Ami frowned. "Why doesn't that news make me feel better?"

"Well, it's just that it's been a while since I've actually had the chance to…um, drive."

"Akira…"

"Don't worry, Ami. Nakajima-sensei wouldn't have loaned me the car if he didn't think I could drive it," he tried to assure her. "Besides, I used to be a very good driver. All I need is a lit-- Hang on!"

Spotting an opening in the holiday traffic, already heavy despite the early hour, Akira stepped on the gas and shot out in front of a small Honda. A symphony of honks and curses from angry drivers followed, but he grinned triumphantly at his success and looked over his girlfriend, whose skin had turned as white as a sheet as she tightly gripped the handle above the passenger side door.

"See? I told you."

Sitting back in her seat, Ami sighed and shook her head. "I have a feeling this is going to be a very long drive…"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of hours later, they were there.

The resort was even more beautiful than the pictures posted on its website. As Akira smoothly pulled up to the inn, his driving much improved from when they first started on the trip, Ami's mouth dropped open in awe when she looked out the car window at the snow-capped buildings and dozens upon dozens of gorgeous pine trees surrounding the resort, some decorated with strands of white lights in celebration of the season. If she didn't know better, she would have thought they had taken a wrong turn somewhere and somehow ended up at the North Pole, but, of course, the senshi's battle with the Dark Kingdom at D point had destroyed any illusions she had of the mythical home of Santa Claus being a beautiful, magical place.

Leaving her in the car, Akira went inside to check in at the front desk and get the key to their private cabin. Check-in didn't take long, and soon, they were heading to Cabin 6, located on the northern edge of the resort, a perfect, secluded spot for lovers who did not wish to be disturbed.

"We were really lucky," Akira remarked as he grabbed the two largest suitcases from the trunk of the car and started leading Ami toward the cabin. "The couple who originally reserved this cabin cancelled the day I called to make our reservation. If they hadn't, we probably would have gotten stuck with a suite in the main inn, if even that. The manager says they're booked solid for the holidays."

"I can see why," Ami said appreciatively. "It's absolutely picturesque."

Akira nodded in agreement. "I just wish we could have gotten the cabin for more than a few nights. I really did want us to spend the entire winter break alone together."

"A few days is better than nothing, Akira."

Ami didn't deny she had been somewhat disappointed when they had only been able to book the cabin until Christmas morning, but she was looking forward to meeting Akira's family and seeing his hometown. She had never been to Nagano before, so it was going to be a real treat. According to Akira, who had spent most of the long drive up there regaling her with stories from his childhood, the city was supposed to be gorgeous during the winter time.

Finally reaching the cabin, Akira set down their luggage and unlocked the front door with the key. "Well, here we are," he announced, pushing open the door and switching on the lights. "What do you think?"

Ami stepped inside and gasped. The website hadn't lied when it promised a romantic atmosphere. From the elegant furniture to the massive stone fireplace, Ami felt as if she had stepped right into a scene from one of Makoto's romance novels.

"It's perfect, Akira," Ami breathed. Spotting an arrangement of poinsettias on the mantel above the fireplace, she walked over to read the card. "Are these from you?"

Shaking his head, Akira brought in the suitcases and set them by the door to be put away later. "No, but I wish they were," he admitted, pulling off his gloves. "Don't tell me you already have a secret admirer, Ami. We just arrived twenty minutes ago."

"I doubt that," Ami said, blushing as she read the note. It turned out the flowers were from management, welcoming them to the resort and urging them to call if there was a problem with the cabin. "It's only a gift from the managers."

"Well, you can't blame me for being a little suspicious," he teased, coming up behind Ami and wrapping his arms around her waist. "After all, you are the most beautiful girl here."

"Aki--"

Her protest was cut short by her lover's lips on hers, soft, but insistent. Ami turned around, surprised, but didn't protest as he kissed her again, one of his hands pulling down the zipper of the sky blue ski jacket she had worn up to the resort. "I've been wanting to do that all day," Akira murmured, his hands then finding their way up her angora sweater.

His touch was surprisingly warm in spite of the below-freezing temperatures outside. Placing his hands on the small of her back, Akira drew Ami closer toward him, and she could feel his desire building. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss, the closeness of their bodies providing all the heat she needed.

It was difficult, but Ami finally managed to pull away, smiling at the small groan of disappointment that escaped from Akira's lips. As much as she would have liked to continue, there was still unpacking to be done, and she wouldn't fully be able to enjoy herself until they were settled in. Besides, she wanted to surprise him with one of the new pieces of lingerie Makoto had convinced her to buy.

"We'll have plenty of time for that later," she promised, taking off her gloves and jacket and hanging them neatly on the coat rack standing beside the door. "Why don't you build us a fire while I unpack our things? It's freezing in here."

"I can think of one way to warm you up," he said suggestively, though he was already heading toward the fireplace.

Ami blushed faintly, and, grabbing their suitcases, she headed to the door she assumed led to the bedroom.

She was right. Opening the door, Ami found herself in a large bedroom, furnished with an elegant armoire, dresser, desk, full-length mirror, and the most massive four-post bed she had seen in her entire life. It was enormous, easily big enough for four people, maybe even five. Setting the suitcases down on the oval rug in the center of the wood-floored room, Ami hopped onto the bed and lightly bounced on the mattress. It was just right, not too firm and not too soft.

"I could get used to this," she sighed, falling on her back against the dark green satin comforter covering the bed and feeling a bit like Goldilocks from the old fairy tale. Her bed at home was nice, but it was nothing compared to that.

Remembering that she still needed to do the unpacking, Ami reluctantly got up and brought the suitcases over to the bed. The first one she opened belonged to Akira, and Ami rolled her eyes when she saw what a haphazard job he had done in packing his things. A couple of sweaters and a pair of jeans were folded, albeit looking as if they were done by a five-year-old, but the rest of his clothes appeared as if he had just thrown them in at the last minute. Shaking her head, Ami started folding his clothes to put away and made a mental note to teach him the proper way to pack when they got ready to leave.

Her suitcase, of course, was organized to the letter, making full use of all the secret compartments available, including the false bottom, where she had cleverly hidden her new wardrobe of risqué lingerie and nightgowns. Those, Ami left packed in the suitcase where Akira wouldn't find them, except for the black teddy, which she kept out, deciding it would be the inaugural piece. If she could pull that off -- undeniably the raciest of the bunch -- without embarrassing herself too much in the process, then she knew she wouldn't have a problem with the others. The rest of her clothes were put away in the armoire and dresser.

Once she finished unpacking, Ami went over to the door and peeked out at the living room to see what Akira was doing. A toasty fire crackled in the fireplace, but he was nowhere in sight. For a moment, Ami was worried, but, since his shoes and coat were also missing, she deduced that Akira must have gone back out to the car for their ski equipment.

That actually worked out quite well for her plans. The car was at least a good ten minute walk from their cabin, so that gave her plenty of time to prepare her seduction. Closing the door, Ami began to undress, thinking of what else she could do to make it a night Akira would never forget.

She remembered that while she was putting her clothes away, she had found a box of unused white candles in one of the dresser drawers. Several brass candlesticks were already scattered around the room, and Ami thought she had seen a couple more in the living room. They would be perfect! After she finished slipping into the teddy, she went to get the other candlesticks, as well as some matches, which she found in the kitchen, and lit them up.

When Ami was done, the room was aglow with the rosy radiance of the candlelight. She turned off the lights and admired her handiwork with a satisfied smile. For a first-time seductress, she wasn't half-bad. All that was missing was some rose petals on the bed, but she doubted she would be so lucky as to find a rose bush blooming outside the cabin on the official first day of winter. Lucky Usagi… With the prince of Earth for a lover, she probably never experienced a shortage of roses.

Adjusting her teddy, Ami walked over to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room for a final inspection before Akira came back. She barely recognized her reflection, unaccustomed to seeing herself in something so revealing. The low-cut lace teddy really showed off her figure and made her legs appear to be much longer than they really were, especially with cute pair of kitten heels she had borrowed from Makoto. Ami blushed and grabbed the black silk kimono robe laying on the bed, tying the belt around her waist just as she heard the front door close.

"Ami, I'm back," Akira's voice called, sounding rather breathless. "Mind giving me a hand in here? Some of this stuff is really heavy."

Flustered, Ami smoothed out a few non-existent wrinkles in her robe and ran a brush through her hair before heading to the door. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, but she couldn't tell if it was from fear or anticipation -- probably a mixture of both. After opening the door, she leaned against the frame and watched as Akira struggled to slip off his shoes while carrying two pairs of skis and a couple of bags they had forgotten on their first trip up to the cabin.

"Ami! I could really use…some…help…"

The skis and bags were unceremoniously dumped in a heap on the floor once Ami finally caught Akira's eye. Untying the belt, she let the robe slip down her shoulders and tossed it back in the bedroom, a small shiver of excitement traveling up her mostly-bare back. She felt his eyes slowly travel down her body, taking it all in, and for the first time in her life, Ami knew what it felt like to be desirable.

"Do you like it?" she asked needlessly, already knowing the answer.

Akira nodded, and, almost hypnotically, stepped over the bags at his feet toward her. "A-Ami?" he stuttered. "Wow… You look… You look… Wow."

"Really?"

Gathering her in his arms, Akira carried her to the bed and showed her exactly how much he liked it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I wish people could see us like this," Ami declared, snuggling up next to Akira after a passionate session of love-making.

Glancing over at his lover, who had never looked more beautiful with her blue hair wild and her sweat-drenched skin still glistening in the candlelight, Akira raised an eyebrow.

"Like this?" he asked, playfully lifting the blanket to peek at their naked bodies. "Why, Ami, I never knew you were such an exhibitionist!"

"You know what I mean." Covering herself back up, Ami rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Why does everybody think this is wrong when it feels so right between us?"

Akira knew exactly what she meant. It was unfair that they had to keep hiding their relationship as if they were doing something immoral and wrong.

"Ami, let's make a promise," he suggested, rolling onto his side and brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Right here and now."

"What's that?"

"While we're here, let's not talk about school. For the next couple of days, we're simply Mizuno Ami and Kitagawa Akira, not student and teacher."

"Deal," Ami agreed, and they sealed their promise with a kiss.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Tokyo, Yui arrived at Hideki's doorstep at exactly ten o'clock, a backpack swung over one shoulder and a large suitcase in hand. After setting the suitcase down beside her, she knocked on the door and was faintly annoyed when Hideki didn't answer right away.

"Where is he?" she muttered. "I told him I would be coming today. He better not have forgotten."

Yui knocked a second time, again not getting an answer. Huffing, she glared at the locked doorknob and made a mental note to herself to remind Hideki to give her a spare set of keys. After dating for so long, it was utterly ridiculous that he hadn't thought to give them to her before.

Where in the world was that horny boyfriend of hers? Yui thought for sure he would have been waiting at the door for her, ready to pounce on her the second she walked in the apartment. Because it was the holidays and Hideki was nice enough to let her stay with him instead of going home to her impossible-to-please parents, she figured she would let him have his way with her for the next couple of weeks, but if this was going to be how he treated her, Yui had half a mind not to give him any the entire winter break. That would certainly teach him how to treat a lady right.

"Matsuno Hideki, you better open this door right now or I'm leaving!" she shouted, banging loudly on the door. "This is no way to treat your girlfri--"

"Yui?"

Pausing in mid-knock, Yui slowly turned her head toward the voice that had said her name and blushed when she saw Hideki himself standing behind her, leash in hand. At his feet, a Welsh Corgi sat, wagging his tail as he looked up at her with large brown eyes.

"Oh, you were out," she said as she stepped aside so Hideki could get to the door. "I didn't realize."

Hideki chuckled, reaching into his jeans pocket and pulling out a set of keys to unlock the door. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "I meant to be back up here before you arrived, but I'm afraid this little fellow had other plans."

Yui, never one for animals of any kind, looked back down at the dog, who was now sniffing at her feet, with distain. She already didn't like him, and, if that beady little glare he was wearing was any indication, the feeling was mutual. "Who does he belong to?" she asked. "He's not yours, is he?"

"No, no. Actually, he belongs to your teacher, Kitagawa-sensei." After opening the door, Hideki kneeled down to undo the leash and let the dog go inside, where he promptly headed to the kitchen to eat. "For some extra spending money, I walk Mercury whenever he's at work. I've told you that before."

"Then what is he doing here? It's winter break. Can't Kitagawa-sensei walk his own stupid dog?"

"Now, Yui, is that any way to speak about our guest?" Hideki asked, picking up her suitcase.

As she followed Hideki inside, Yui stopped in the middle of the doorway, hoping he did not just say what she thought he had said. "Guest?"

"Yeah, Mercury will be staying with us. Kitagawa-sensei went to Nagano for vacation, so I offered to dog-sit for him while he was gone." Hideki set the suitcase down on the floor and started changing into his usual pair of slippers. "It's not a problem, is it? You never told me you were allergic or anything like that, so I just assumed…"

"No, not allergic," Yui said with a forced smile.

She just happened to have a hate-hate relationship with the animals, that's all.

"Great!"

Completely oblivious to her feelings about the matter, Hideki headed to the kitchen to feed the stupid dog as Yui flung her backpack on the couch and took a seat. She couldn't believe that for the next couple of weeks she was going to be forced to share living space with a smelly, ugly dog. If she had wanted that, she would have gone home to Kobe and her mother's matched pair of "adorable" pit bulls that she considered more her children than her own flesh-and-blood daughter.

Well, maybe she could convince Hideki to lock the mutt up in a closet or something. It shouldn't be too hard. A couple of tumbles in the sheets and she would own him.

Men were so easy.

"Yui, you want something to drink?" Hideki called from the kitchen over the sound of the electric can opener. "Coffee? Tea? Sake?"

Yui shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"Eat?"

"Do you have any pineapple?"

"New diet?" he guessed correctly. The noise stopped.

"It is the holidays. Dieters have to be extra careful this time of year," she reminded him, knowing without a doubt that Hideki was rolling his eyes in the other room.

"Well, I'm out of pineapple, but what about a grapefruit?"

"I guess that'll do."

A couple of minutes later, Hideki returned to the living room, a can of tea in one hand and half a ripe grapefruit in the other. He handed the plate to Yui, then picked up her backpack so he could sit down beside her.

"Geez, Yui, what do you have in here?" he groaned, pretending to topple over. "The entire encyclopedia set?"

Yui giggled. "You exaggerate. It's just a couple of essential texts."

"You brought schoolwork?"

"Of course I did. Just because we don't have class for a couple of weeks doesn't mean we should completely fall behind in our studies."

"Well, I, for one, intend to enjoy the break," Hideki said, sitting down on the couch with her. He pulled back the tab on his can and took a sip, grinning as he looked over at her. "It is our first Christmas and New Year's together, after all."

"So it is."

"What do you want to do for Christmas Eve? It might be a little late to get dinner reservations at this late a date, but with this new pineapple diet you're doing, you probably wouldn't want to go out anyway."

"No, no food," Yui insisted. She rested her head on Hideki's shoulder, trying to come up with an idea of what they could do. She'd never had a boyfriend for Christmas Eve before, but she was looking forward to doing something special. "We could go see a play or something. Isn't the Drama Club at Toudai performing _A Christmas Carol_?"

Hideki vetoed that idea. "Too boring. Besides, tickets are probably sold out already," he said. "What about a movie? The one you wanted to see is coming out soon."

Yui shook her head. "Too ordinary. We can go out to the movies any time."

"Well, we could see if we can still get a hotel reservation," he suggested, trying his hardest not to seem too eager about the idea even though Yui knew her boyfriend well enough to know exactly what was on his mind.

She rolled her eyes. "That's such a waste, Hideki. Why spend money on getting a room when we're already alone here together?"

"I don't know. Sometimes it's nice to have a change of scenery. You know, to make it special."

"Or maybe you just want access to pay-for-view porn," Yui guessed, smirking. She didn't fail to see the tell-tell blush crawling across the bridge of his nose. Hideki tried to hide it, but she knew all about the stack of men's magazines he kept underneath his mattress. Though she personally thought the whole thing was disgusting, anything that kept him from wanting to take out his sexual urges on her all the time was fine by Yui.

"That's not it!" he protested, a little too forcefully. "I just thought it would be nice, that's all. For you."

"Well, I'm perfectly happy staying here. Maybe we should just stay in for Christmas Eve and study," she said, trying her best not to laugh when she saw the disappointed look on his face.

"Study?" Hideki sounded as if he had just been told he needed a root canal.

"Yes, study," Yui repeated, running a hand up his thigh. "You know, I could use a little help with my anatomy…"

"Well, when you put it that way… Maybe studying won't be so bad."

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"Something's missing," Ami announced the next morning, already dressed and sitting in front of the fireplace with a cup of steaming hot cocoa in her hands.

Yawning as he came out of the bedroom, Akira stretched his arms high above his head. "Good morning to you, too," he said with a slight roll of his eyes as he headed to the kitchen for his usual cup of coffee.

Apparently not catching his subtle sarcasm, Ami jumped up from the couch and followed him to the other room. "Don't you even want to know what it is?" she asked, dropping a couple more marshmallows into her drink.

To be honest, Akira wasn't particularly interested in anything at the moment but a nice, big cup of Colombian-brewed java, but he decided to take the bait anyway. "What is it? Did you leave something in the car? You know can always get it whenever we head down to the lodge."

"No, nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"A Christmas tree!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with glee. "It doesn't feel like the holidays without a tree."

"There's a tree in the main lodge, Ami," he reminded her. "A big one, with all the trimmings."

"I know, but wouldn't it be nice if we had a tree of our own to enjoy whenever we wanted?"

Sighing, Akira stirred some sugar into the coffee Ami had been thoughtful enough to brew while he took a shower. Personally, he didn't care one way or the other if they had a tree, but, looking over at his girlfriend, he could tell it meant a lot to Ami. If she wanted a Christmas tree, then why shouldn't she have one?

"That can be arranged," Akira declared.

"Really?"

"Why not? We are in the middle of a forest. Let me call the manager and see if we're allowed to cut one down."

"And I'll see what I can find around here to use for ornaments," Ami said, her face breaking into a radiant smile as she kissed his cheek, then ran off to look for decorations, humming "Deck the Halls" to herself.

Akira chuckled as he reached for the phone, glad to see her so happy, and dialed the number to the front desk. Getting permission to cut down a tree turned out to be even easier than he thought. Apparently, some of the other couples had already had the same idea, and the woman who answered the phone told him that if he stopped by the lodge, he could borrow a saw and a tree stand from the inn.

Calling goodbye to Ami, who was in the kitchen, popping popcorn for what he assumed would be garland for the tree, Akira headed to the lodge to pick up the supplies. It would be his first time cutting down a tree, but he figured it couldn't be too hard. Simple physics, really. Cut and fall.

Well, it hadn't been quite as easy as he had thought it would be, but Akira managed to cut down a fine specimen of a tree near their cabin. Full and impossibly green, he knew Ami would be pleased. Akira dragged the tree inside, and, together, they placed it in the tree stand beside the fireplace.

Next came the decorations. Without the usual lights and ornaments at their disposal, Ami had needed to think outside of the box, and some of her ideas were rather ingenious, if rather untraditional. Only she would think of using aluminum foil to fold origami ornaments instead of paper, or bending red and white pipe-cleaners into the shape of candy canes, as well as other various Christmas shapes. For the topper, Ami fashioned a makeshift star out of cardboard, decorated with markers and extra popcorn from her garland.

For all her hard work, however, it was still a really ugly tree. Stepping back as Ami tied her "star" to the top, it took all of Akira's self-control not to drop to the floor, laughing at the poor mockery of a Christmas tree.

"Ta-ta-da!" Ami said proudly once she finished. "How does it look?"

Try as he might, he couldn't hold it in any longer. Akira snickered loudly, slapping a hand over his mouth in a pathetic attempt to conceal his laughter.

"I'm sorry, Ami, but that is the sorriest-looking tree I've ever seen!"

"It's not that bad, is it?" Hopping off the chair on which she was standing, Ami joined him by the couch. "Aw, I think it's beautiful," she insisted, without the slightest bit of irony.

Smiling, Akira wrapped an arm around his lover's shoulders, pulling her close. It might not have been the most stunning Christmas tree in the world, but he had to admit it did hold its own special beauty.

"Yes, beautiful," he agreed, kissing the top of her head. "Very beautiful."

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After they had finished decorating the tree and ate a late breakfast at the lodge, Ami and Akira headed out to the slopes. It had snowed the night before, leaving behind a thick layer of fresh powder on the ground, and it seemed as if every couple at the resort was taking advantage of it.

"Primo conditions," Akira announced with glee as they stood in line at the ski lift. "We couldn't ask for a more perfect day for skiing."

Ami nodded, practicing her positions while they waited for the next lift to arrive. It had been a few years since she last had the chance to ski, so she was a bit nervous about returning to the slopes. "Where should we start first? The bunny slopes to warm up?" she asked.

"The bunny slopes?" Akira laughed as if she had suggested he go back to kindergarten. "That course is for beginners, Ami. The double black diamond is the only trail I ever ski."

"But that's professional-level!"

Akira shrugged. "What can I say? I like the challenge. Besides, I've been skiing all my life. It's as natural to me as swimming is to you," he said, grinning. "If you're scared, though, we can try an easier trail…"

Ami shook her head. Akira wasn't the only one who enjoyed a challenge. Besides, she wasn't without a certain skill in the sport herself. Just a little out of practice, that's all. "The double black diamond it is," she declared confidently, hopping onto the lift that had just arrived. "Coming?"

"You're on!"

When they arrived at the top of the mountain, they discovered they were the only couple daring enough to attempt the resort's most treacherous course. Everybody else seemed content to stay on the easier trails, leaving Ami and Akira the double black diamond to themselves. Skiing over to the sign denoting the trail's difficulty, Ami studied the course and felt her heart skip a beat when she realized how steep it was. It was certainly the hardest trail she ever attempted.

"You know, there's still time to back out if you think it is too difficult for you," Akira said, his skis kicking up a shower of snow as he skidded up beside her. "I don't mind going down to the black diamond with you."

To cover up her nervousness, Ami chuckled as she put on her goggles and made sure her skis were properly secured. "Why, Akira, if I didn't know better, I'd think you actually want me to decline your challenge."

"I'm only concerned for your safety, Ami. Have you ever tried a double black diamond before?"

"Once," she replied, deciding not to mention that she had also sprained her ankle while doing so.

"Well, this will be my seventh time, so I have a bit more experience than you. The first time we go down, let's take it slow, okay? That way we can see the lay of the land before we start racing for real."

"Sounds fine to me."

As it turned out, learning to ski again was just like getting back on a bicycle. After a slow start to regain her bearings, Ami managed to hold her own against Akira as they made their way down the mountain. He still finished first, but she could tell he was impressed by her performance.

"Not bad, not bad at all," he said, clapping as she skidded to a stop beside him. "Shall we have one more practice run, or do you think you're ready for the big-time?"

The adrenaline still pumping through her veins, Ami nodded. "Let's go."

They headed back to the ski lifts and made their way up to the top of the trail. Akira once again asked if she felt brave enough to race him, but Ami told him not to worry about her, determined not to let him intimidate her. Besides, part of the reason why she had come in second on their first run-through was because she had been studying his technique, and she had a fairly good idea how to beat him.

"Now, don't hold back just because I'm your girlfriend," Ami said as they lined up at the beginning of the trail. "I want this to be a fair race."

"Don't worry; I don't intend to," he assured her with a cocky smirk, pulling down his goggles. "You may be the better swimmer between us, but, on the slopes, I reign king."

"We'll just see about that. Ready…set…go!"

The two of them shot off like bullets from a gun, Akira managing a short lead. Copying his stance, Ami crouched down lower on her skis, which gave her an extra burst of speed. It didn't take long for her to pass him, and she couldn't resist laughing at the shocked look on his face as she zoomed by.

Her lead didn't last for long, unfortunately. Ami might have had better speed than him, but it was obvious that Akira was more adept at maneuvering the treacherous bumps and troughs that made the course so difficult. His skills really were almost professional-level, and Ami had to push herself to keep up with him.

Perhaps she pushed herself a little too hard. One minute, she had managed to regain her lead, and the next, Ami suddenly felt herself losing control of her skis and veering straight toward a large pine tree on the side of the trail.

"Ami!" Akira shouted, though she could barely hear him over the sound of the wind in her ears.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ami saw him make a sharp turn in her direction, abandoning their race, but she knew there was no way he would be able to make it to her in time. Trying not to panic, she shifted her weight to the far right and hoped it would be enough to wipe out before she reached the tree.

It was. She landed painfully on her side in the snow, but that was nothing compared to the pain she would have felt had she crashed into the pine tree's massive trunk. Within seconds, Akira was by her side, helping her sit back up.

"Ami, are you alright?" he asked, the concern evident in his dark green eyes. "Are you hurt? Did you break anything?"

Ami shook her head. She hadn't felt anything break on her way down, though she was a bit sore on the side she had fallen on -- nothing a soak in the resort's hot springs wouldn't cure. "I'm okay," she assured him, standing back up with his assistance. "Really."

Her words did little to console him. "I never should have talked you into running this course," Akira said bitterly. "What was I thinking? You told me you had only skied the double black diamond once before, and I knew you were out of practice. I was an idiot. I should have insisted we stick to the easier trails like you wanted, at least for today."

"Akira, it was my decision to try the course. You gave me every opportunity to change my mind."

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a little sore."

Akira didn't look quite convinced, but nevertheless, he insisted they head back to the lodge. They took off their skis, and Akira offered to carry both pairs as they slowly made their way back down the rest of the mountain.

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When Makoto arrived home from the restaurant that night, she called out "I'm home!" as she usually did, forgetting that Ami had left for Nagano the day before with her secret boyfriend. Sighing when she remembered her roommate was gone for the holidays, she took off her coat and gloves and changed into her favorite pair of slippers before heading to the kitchen to start dinner for one.

Makoto supposed she should have been used to coming home to an empty apartment by now, considering that Ami spent nearly every night over at her lover's place, but the loneliness seemed more pronounced that night for some reason. Perhaps it was because Christmas was a couple of days away, and Makoto knew she would be spending it by herself. She hadn't even bothered to put up a tree, finding the thought of decking the halls by herself just too depressing.

She remembered the fun she and Ami had the year before, going to the tree lot on the street corner and picking out the biggest, most beautiful Christmas tree they could afford. They had spent the whole night decorating and singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs, more than a little tipsy after drinking the entire bowl of homemade eggnog Makoto had made. Ami had made a fun drunk, and Makoto giggled at the memory of her normally reserved friend cracking dirty jokes she never would have told had she been sober.

Shaking her head, Makoto forced herself to push the happy thought to the back of her mind as she started on dinner. She could have a perfectly fine holiday all on her own. After all, she had had enough experience over the years since her parents died.

Makoto was just about the sit down to eat when she heard a knock on the door. Wondering who that could be, she set her plate down on the island in the center of the kitchen and went to answer the door.

"Asanuma-kun!"

Her long-time friend stood outside the apartment, grinning when she opened the door. "Hey, Mako-chan," he said. "I was hoping you'd be here. I went to the restaurant first, but they said you had already left."

"I had an early shift tonight," she explained, confused as she silently invited him in. "What are you doing here, Asanuma-kun? Did we have plans I forgot about?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I just thought you might want to go to the tree lot with me. I haven't had a chance to pick out a tree yet, and by the looks of things, you haven't, either." With a nod, he indicated the empty space along one of the living room walls where she and Ami had set up their Christmas tree the year before.

"I, uh, actually wasn't planning to put one up this year," she confessed. "Ami-chan's out of town for the holidays, so I didn't see much of a point."

"Come on, you gotta have a Christmas tree. Look at me. I live alone in a tiny apartment, and I'm still planning to put one up."

"I'm just not in the holiday spirit this year, I guess."

"Well, even if you don't want a tree, why don't you still come down with me to the lot?" Asanuma suggested. "After all, who better to help me pick out the best tree than Ms. Green Thumb herself? Please? I really have no idea what I'm doing, so I could use some professional advice."

"Well…" Makoto looked back toward the kitchen where dinner was waiting and sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. At least she wouldn't have to spend the evening alone. "Okay, I'll come along," she decided. "Just let me put dinner away. I'll be back in a minute."

"Great."

After wrapping up her plate and putting it in the refrigerator to be reheated when she got back, she and Asanuma headed down to the small Christmas tree lot at the end of the street. Despite the fact that Christmas was only days away, they still had quite a lot of trees to select from.

"It's a shame more people here don't buy real trees like they do in the West," Asanuma remarked, looking over one large tree that Makoto knew he would never be able to fit in his apartment without chopping at least a foot off the top. "The real ones are so much better, aren't they? Just take in that smell. You can't get that kind of authenticity out of a can."

Absent-mindedly, Makoto nodded her agreement while looking over another nearby tree that was a more appropriate size for his place. "Asanuma-kun, this one looks good."

"Let me see." Joining her at the nicely-shaped 5-footer, he looked it over and reached for the price tag attached to the end of one of the tree's branches. His eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. "5,000 yen? No wonder everybody sticks to the plastic kind. Do Westerners really spend this much money on a tree they're just going to throw away after Christmas?"

"Indeed, they do, young man," a heavily-accented voice said from behind them. "Actually, the prices are even more ridiculous in America. That's a bargain right there, believe me."

Makoto and Asanuma turned around to face a man wearing a Santa Claus sweatshirt and fake reindeer antlers on his head. Makoto recognized him from last year as the foreigner who owned the lot and was glad to hear that his Japanese had greatly improved from the last time they had met. Ami, the better English-speaker between them, had had to do most of the haggling when they came the year before.

"Is there any way you could go lower on this tree?" Asanuma asked. "Like maybe 3,500 yen?"

The foreigner rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, you kids do make a cute couple. Newlyweds, I presume? I can remember how tough it was when me and the wife first got married, so for you, I'll knock it down to 3,000."

"Wait, we're not--"

"No, he's not--"

Makoto felt her cheeks burn in the crisp coolness of early winter, and beside her, she could see Asanuma's face was as red as Rudolph's nose. He thought they were married? What in the world gave him that idea?

"I'm afraid you have the wrong impression, sir. We're not married," Makoto informed the lot owner once she got over her shock at his assumption. "We're just friends. Platonic friends."

"Oh, I apologize," the lot owner said. "Forgive me. I just assumed -- Well, if you still want the tree, I'll honor the lower price. It is the holidays, after all."

"We'll take it, then," Asanuma decided, pulling out his wallet.

After he finished paying the man, the foreigner tied the tree up for the trip to Asanuma's apartment. Asanuma then took the trunk of the tree while Makoto grabbed onto the rope near the top of the tree, taking the lead as they headed back to his building.

They didn't say much along the way, only speaking to call out instructions as they navigated the three blocks to his apartment building or to say they needed to rest for a few moments. Finally, they made it up to his apartment, and, setting the tree down beside the door, Asanuma dug in his jeans pocket for his keys.

"So, can you believe that guy actually thought we were married?" Makoto asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "How crazy is that?"

Asanuma, having located the keys, let out a weak laugh as he unlocked the door. "Yeah, crazy," he agreed, pushing open the door.

"I mean, we aren't even wearing rings," she rambled on, unable to give up the subject. Makoto didn't know why she was so affected by the man's innocent mistake, but she was. "I have no idea how he could have gotten the idea that we were together like that when we aren't even dating. Do you? It's insane! To think that he actually thought we were --"

"Mako-chan, mind helping me get this tree in here?"

Makoto, who had momentarily forgotten what they were doing, blushed and grabbed the tree by its trunk. "Oh, right. Where do you want it?"

"Over there in the corner is fine."

Together, they carried the tree over the empty corner of the main room, set it up in the tree strand Asanuma had put out before he left, and cut the ropes binding the branches together. Luckily, the tree was the perfect size for the area, not too tall and not too wide, so they didn't have to do any pruning.

"Thanks for helping me pick this thing out," he said after Makoto filled the bowl of the tree stand with fresh water and swept up a handful of pine needles that had fallen on the floor. "Knowing me, I might have Charlie Brown-ed the whole thing if I had gone alone."

"You wouldn't have, but I was glad to help anyway," she insisted. "Just make sure you keep the tree properly watered, and it should easily last until after Christmas."

"I will."

Another awkward silence fell between them, but, this time, Asanuma was the one to break the ice. "Uh, Mako-chan, you don't have any plans for Christmas Eve, do you? No big date or anything like that?"

Makoto sighed and shook her head. Why did he have to remind her that she was alone for the holidays? "No, no plans. I'll probably just stay in and watch one of those American Christmas movie classics. You know, like _It's a Wonderful Life_ or _White Christmas_. Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking… Well, I don't have any plans either, so why don't we hang out together?" he suggested, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. "We can watch the movie over here and pig out on Christmas cake."

The idea was tempting, she had to admit, but Makoto knew the only reason why he had decided to invite her was because he pitied her. If there was one thing she hated more than being alone on the holidays, it was other people feeling sorry for her because she didn't have a family or lover to enjoy them with. "Asanuma-kun, thank you, but I don't need a sympathy invite. I'll be fine on my own."

"It's not!" he said. "I want to spend Christmas Eve with you, Mako-chan. Really. I'm not just inviting you because I feel sorry for you."

"Don't you have some other girl you would rather spend it with?" Makoto asked. "Christmas Eve is a night for lovers, after all."

"Says who? If I want to spend the night before Christmas with my best friend in the entire world, what's wrong with that?" he argued. "Please, just come over."

"I, uh, I don't -- Well, okay," she finally relented, unable to say no to the pleading look on Asanuma's face. Besides, it wasn't as if she had any real plans.

"Great. I'll see you at seven on Christmas Eve, then?"

"I'll be here."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami was in heaven.

Laying face down on the bed and wrapped only in a large terrycloth towel after taking a hot bath to soothe her aching body, she let out a low moan as Akira kneaded her back. Somehow, his hands knew exactly where to go, his magic touch melting away the pain of her fall earlier that day, and Ami closed her eyes, resting her chin on her folded arms.

"You know, I once had a dream like this," she confessed dreamily as he moved up to her shoulders. "Well, it wasn't exactly like this, but close enough."

"Really? What was it about?" Akira asked.

Feeling her cheeks warm at the memory of that night in the bathtub, Ami shook her head. Even though they were now dating, she was still a bit embarrassed by what had happened that night. "Oh, you wouldn't want to hear about it."

"Try me. If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."

"Well…" After a moment's hesitation, Ami began telling him about her dream. "I was sunbathing on this beautiful beach on the coast of the Sea of Japan. I went there once when a little girl with my parents, right before they announced they were getting a divorce, but in the dream, I was the age I am now, and I was wearing this really revealing bikini."

"A sexy bikini? I'm liking this fantasy so far," Akira said, causing Ami to reach back and attempt to swat him, though she couldn't quite reach him in her current position.

"Anyway," she continued, "this guy suddenly came up to me and started rubbing sunscreen all over my body, using it as sort of a massage oil, I guess. Mmm, was he good… His hands were so strong and gentle, and he knew exactly what I liked. And then…well…" Ami's voice trailed off, her face red-hot as she remembered what had happened next.

"I can imagine the rest," Akira said almost bitterly, taking his hands off her shoulders and climbing off her back, which he had been straddling as he massaged her.

Ami, confused by his abrupt change in moods, flipped over on her side to look at her lover, who sat at the edge of the bed with his back turned to her. "Akira, what's wrong?"

"Who was the guy, Ami?"

"What?"

"The massage guy -- who was he? Was it somebody you knew in real life?"

Ami, despite her best attempt not to, burst out laughing. She couldn't believe it! Akira was actually jealous of himself. Granted, he didn't know he was the "massage guy" in her fantasy, but still… "Believe me, you have nothing to worry about from him, Akira," she assured him between giggles.

Akira was not amused. "Ami, if you've been fantasizing about some other man, don't you think I deserve to know who he is?"

"Have you fantasized about other women besides me?" she asked, turning the tables on him.

"Well…uh…" It was his turn to blush as Akira rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I guess you have a point," he mumbled. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me, then you don't have to."

"Oh, I'll tell you," Ami said, grinning. "The so-called 'massage guy' was actually you, but now I want to know who you've been fantasizing about."

"You. Now, why don't you lay back down and we'll pick up where we left off?"

Ami shook her head and sat back up, holding her towel closed with her hand. She wasn't about to let him off that easily. "Come on, I'm not going to be mad at you. According to my psych professor, it's completely normal for people to dream about people other than their significant others, even in healthy relationships. Besides, you're the one who wanted to talk about fantasies."

"That may be true, but it's kind of embarrassing," he admitted, finally turning back around on the bed so that they were sitting face-to-face.

"I won't laugh," she promised.

"Okay, if you must know… I sometimes fantasize about Misumaru Yurika."

Ami didn't laugh, but she wasn't able to hide the amused smile playing on her lips. "From _Nadesico_?"

Akira shrugged. "What can I say? I have a thing for cute women with blue hair," he quipped, laying down and rolling onto his side. "What about you? If it's normal for people in a relationship to fantasize about other people, who do you dream about?"

"Albert Einstein," she said without hesitation.

"Ami, be serious."

"I am."

"Crazy hair and all?"

"Well, I imagine he was a bit more handsome in his younger years, but what can I say? I have a thing for incredibly intelligent, brilliant men."

They laughed, and Ami laid down beside him, allowing Akira to run his hand up and down the terrycloth fabric covering her stomach. She couldn't believe how relaxed she felt here in the mountains, far away from the tensions in Tokyo. It was almost as if they were just a normal couple on vacation, instead of a student and her professor involved in a forbidden affair.

 _No, I'm not supposed to think about that_ , Ami reminded herself as Akira began landing light kisses on her bared shoulder. Until they returned to Tokyo, they were Mizuno Ami and Kitagawa Akira, no titles between them. Pushing the thought away, she turned her attention back to her lover.

"You know, you never told me about your fantasy," she murmured, lifting her chin as his lips traveled up to her neck. "You promised that if I told you mine, you would tell me yours."

"I'll tell you some other time," he said, tugging at her towel. "For now, why don't we make yours come true? We're not at a beach, but I'm sure we can improvise."

Ami had no objections.


	10. Chapter 10

Christmas Eve night, Makoto headed off to Asanuma Itto's apartment, trying to force herself to get into the spirit of the holidays before she arrived. Not even the light snow that had begun to fall soon after she left the penthouse, the first of the winter, however, could lift her from her blues.

It really was kind of Asanuma to take pity on her and invite her to spend Christmas with him. With Ami away with her mystery boyfriend and everybody else busy with their own families and lovers -- even Rei had decided to go visit her estranged father, though more out of duty than anything else -- the holidays didn't seem quite the same. Makoto was happy for Ami, of course, and she didn't begrudge the others for choosing to spend Christmas with their family and loved ones, but she wished they could have all been together.

"Alone again," she sighed, her breath visible in the air, as she paused for a moment outside a bakery to watch a couple and their young daughter buy a Christmas cake through the large glass window.

They looked so happy…

Regretting that she hadn't thought to wear gloves, Makoto stuffed her near-frozen hands in the pockets of her long overcoat and continued walking, berating herself for acting so silly. She had just turned twenty a couple of weeks ago. She was no longer the thirteen-year-old orphan living by herself, baking cookies for the sempai who didn't even want her. It was ridiculous for her to feel sorry for herself, acting like a child.

Her life was good. She had friends who loved her and a job she adored.

So why did she feel so alone and empty?

Makoto, arriving at Asanuma's apartment building, pushed the thought aside and headed inside, grateful for the warm blast of air that greeted her. She brushed the flakes of snow off her coat and out of her hair, then went up to the third floor. Reaching the apartment, she knocked, only having to wait a moment before a harried Asanuma opened the door.

"Mako-chan!" he exclaimed, sounding a tad out of breath as he popped his head out. "You're early!"

"Is that okay?" she asked, realizing she probably should have called first to tell him that she was coming before the time on which they had previously agreed. "I know you said seven, but I just had to get out of that apartment. It's too big and quiet without Ami-chan around."

"Yeah, sure, it's fine. Just one second."

Asanuma held up a finger before going back inside and closing the door behind him. Confusion crossed Makoto's face, and, staring at the rather gaudy wreath hanging below his posted apartment number, she wondered why he was acting so strangely. All they were going to do was watch _It's a Wonderful Life_ , the American Christmas classic; he really didn't need to worry about a messy apartment or anything like that. If anything, helping Asanuma clean would be a fun way to spend the evening, at least in her book.

Makoto was about to walk in uninvited and see what was going on for herself when Asanuma finally came back. He opened the door and stepped aside, showing her in.

"What is going --"

The rest of her question died on her lips as she stepped inside the darkened apartment, lit only by the Christmas tree they had picked out together in the corner and two dozen green and red candles scattered randomly around the room. As Makoto's eyes adjusted to the dimness, she noticed that he had set a small round table in the middle of the room, and that there was a bouquet of gorgeous camellias serving as the centerpiece. Her mouth wide-open in surprise, Makoto slipped off her shoes.

"Asanuma-kun, what is this?" she asked, still trying to take in the whole thing as he helped her out of her coat. "I-I thought we were just going to watch movies and eat Christmas cake."

Even in the dimness of the room, Makoto noticed Asanuma blush as he bashfully rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Well…I thought this would be more fun," he replied.

"But I don't understand --"

"Have a seat. I need to check on the chicken."

Still in awe, Makoto sat down in the chair Asanuma pulled out for her before leaving for the kitchen and stared at the lovely arrangement of flowers. How did he remember that camellias were her favorite? Noticing a note hidden among the blossoms, labeled with her name, Makoto plucked the tiny envelope from its stand and pulled out the card inside.

The card, decorated with an embossed gold poinsettia in the corner, read simply: _To Makoto. Merry Christmas. With love, Itto._

"With love?" she whispered, reading the last part aloud.

Her hand began to shake as she stared at that seemingly innocent phrase. What kind of "love" did he mean? He couldn't possibly mean _that_ kind of love…could he?

 _Oh, Makoto, stop being ridiculous_ , she told herself. Of course Asanuma had meant "with love for a friend." That's what they were: very good friends who just happened to be different genders. Purely platonic, like she had told the tree lot owner who assumed they were newlyweds. She had certainly never given him any indication that she wanted more, and neither had he.

So…why the surprise dinner?

Makoto was so engrossed in trying to figure out Asanuma's intentions that she failed to notice when he returned from the kitchen, carrying a plate in each hand.

"Do you like them?" he asked, indicating the flowers with his head.

Startled, Makoto involuntarily jumped in her seat, the piece of paper in her hand fluttering to the floor. "Oh, Asanuma-kun!" she exclaimed, hand over her pounding heart. "They're lovely. Thank you. I love camellias."

Asanuma smiled, setting a plate in front of her before taking the seat across from her. "I'm glad you like them. They're your favorites, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. But I'm afraid I didn't bring you anything." She had planned to drop off his present tomorrow when she delivered everybody else's

"I don't mind. Having you here is present enough."

Quickly, Asanuma lowered his gaze, as if embarrassed by what he said, and Makoto felt her cheeks start to burn, though she didn't know why. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was flirting with her, but that was impossible. He was only being kind, that's all. Right?

"You made this yourself?" Makoto asked, breaking through the awkward silence that had fallen between them. "It looks wonderful."

"It's nothing compared to your cooking," Asanuma replied modestly. "I burnt the chicken when I went to answer the door."

"That's okay. It's my fault for coming earlier than you expected," she assured him, reaching for a knife and fork. "I'm sure it's delicious."

To prove it to him, Makoto took a bite of the slightly burnt fried chicken, pleasantly surprised at how tender and flavorful the meat was. It may have looked less than perfect on the outside, but inside was a different story. From experience, Makoto knew Asanuma must have spent all afternoon preparing such a mouth-watering meal.

Across the table, the chef had yet to touch his own plate of food, anxiously waiting for Makoto's reaction. It was only when she took another bite of chicken that Asanuma relaxed and finally reached for his eating utensils. "So, do you like it?" he asked. "Does it need more salt? Pepper? I can get some from the kitchen if you want."

"It's delicious, Asanuma-kun," she declared. "I didn't know you were such a good cook. Why have you been hiding it?"

"Oh, I'm not that great. I just wanted everything to be perfect tonight."

"Why?" Makoto asked, still unsure of what to make of the surprise dinner. "Why did you go through so much trouble for me? I'm nobody special."

"You're special to me, Mako-chan."

Asanuma said the words so softly, at first, Makoto wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. He couldn't possibly have said what she thought he had said… But when she set down her silverware and glanced up from her plate, Makoto found her long-time friend staring at her, an unmistakable look of tenderness on his face.

"A-Asanuma-kun?"

"Call me Itto, Mako-chan," he said, giving her a shy smile. "I think we've known each other long enough."

"Okay…Itto-kun…Um…"

At a loss for words, Makoto blushed and stared down at her plate, trying to comprehend what was happening. Though she had been unsure before, it was becoming quite obvious that Asanuma -- no, Itto, she corrected herself -- actually did have feelings toward her and had planned the romantic Christmas Eve dinner to tell her. She was almost certain of it, and Makoto felt herself start to panic when she realized the truth.

What was she going to do? The whole thing was completely out of the blue. Makoto didn't even know how she felt about him. True, she had carried a small torch for Itto when they first met, but as the years passed by and they became closer and closer friends, that crush had faded into nothing more than a fond memory, something the two of them laughed about when reminiscing about the "good old days." It was hard to imagine him as being anything more than a friend after everything they had shared. Itto knew things she never even told the girls.

Yet…

A soft touch on her hand broke her from her thoughts. "Mako-chan, is something wrong?" Itto asked, concern evident in his voice.

She could have lied and said everything was fine, ignoring what he had said, but she knew it would only be putting off the inevitable. It was best to get everything out in the open.

"I don't know," Makoto admitted. "Asa-- I mean, Itto-kun, we've been friends for a really long time. I really cherish our friendship, but --"

"I think I know what you're going to say," he interrupted before she could finish. "And I don't really blame you. It's a huge step, but I like you, Mako-chan. I have for a very long time."

Still refusing to believe what was happening, Makoto played innocent. "I know. I like you too, very much. Other than the other girls, you're my best friend in the entire world."

"No, I'm not talking about that kind of like. I'm taking about a deeper like."

"A deeper like?"

Sighing, Itto took his hand away, looking defeated. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything," he said, clenching his hand into a fist. "I knew this was going to be weird. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I thought… Oh, never mind what I thought."

"No, what were you thinking?"

"I just thought that maybe you liked me too…in that way. I guess I was wrong. Just forget I said anything. We'll go back to the way things were."

Itto immediately returned his attention back to the meal in front of him, acting as if nothing had happened, but, by that time, Makoto had lost her appetite. Back to the way things were? Was that even possible now that she knew of his feelings toward her? Did she even want to go back?

Why did he have to go and make everything so confusing? Things were fine the way they were before. Now, she didn't know what to think. A part of her wanted to tell him that she reciprocated his feelings, that she liked him as much as he liked her. Itto was a good man, and Makoto knew that unlike her other boyfriends, he would treat her the way she deserved to be treated. Yet, what if things didn't work out between them? Was she really willing to risk losing his friendship if that happened?

Quietly, Makoto excused herself from the table and headed to the bathroom, where she sat down on the lowered toilet seat and buried her face in her hands, trying to regain her composure. There she stayed until Itto, most likely concerned by how long she had been in there, lightly rapped on the door.

"Mako-chan, are you okay in there?" he asked. "You aren't sick, are you? Was it the food? Oh, I knew I should have ordered take-out…"

Despite herself, Makoto cracked a small, sad smile. Itto really had worked hard to make it a special evening, hadn't he? And what did she do? She had to be the Grinch and ruin the whole thing with her fears and insecurities. It made her feel even worse than she did before.

"I'm fine, Itto-kun," she called back, standing from her seat and going over to the sink to splash some water on her face. "I'll be out in a second."

Realizing that she couldn't stay in there forever, Makoto adjusted the seasonal red-and-green ponytail holder she wore in her hair and took a deep breath to calm her racing heartbeat. She then opened the door to find Itto waiting for her outside, a bottle filled with pink liquid in his hands.

"Uh…I thought you might need this," he said, answering her unasked question as he held out the Pepto-Bismol. "It's supposed to help with upset stomachs."

At that moment, Makoto made her decision.

She kissed him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fire burned brightly that Christmas Eve night, warming Ami's skin as she sat on the hearth and waited for Akira's return. He had left soon after they finished the delicious dinner prepared by the inn's master chef, claiming he had forgotten her Christmas present in the car.

The present she bought for him was already under the tree, wrapped in festive red metallic paper and tied with green ribbon. It wasn't the Santa baby-doll she had bought while shopping with Makoto, which she was saving for later that night, but she hoped he liked it. She had gone through quite a bit of trouble to find it in time after being struck by inspiration.

Looking up at their origami-decorated tree, Ami heard Akira come in, a gust of chilly wind blowing in through the door with him and disturbing the fire.

"I'm back," he said, dusting the snow off the rather large gift box in his hands. "Talk about your white Christmases. It's like a blizzard out there!"

Jumping up from the warm hearth, Ami went over to the door and helped her boyfriend out of his heavy winter coat, which was also covered with snow. "You must be freezing, Akira!" she said, noticing that Akira was shivering and his cheeks were streaked pink from the cold. Taking her present, Ami placed it on the couch and then began rubbing his hands together. Even through his gloves, she could tell they were cold as ice. "Why did you insist on going out there when the weather's so bad? You're going to catch a cold, or worse! The present could have waited until tomorrow. I wouldn't have minded."

"And ruin our first Christmas Eve together? I don't think so." Smiling, Akira pulled his hands away, placing them on her shoulders. "Ami, I'm fine. Really. You're all the heat I need in even the biggest snowstorm."

As if to prove it, Akira suddenly drew Ami toward him, his lips catching hers in a fiery kiss. It was unexpected, but not at all unwelcome. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Ami deepened the kiss, well aware of the heat gradually returning to his body. All she wanted to do was stay like that forever, but, eventually remembering the presents, she reluctantly pulled away and led him over to the fireplace.

"This is for you," she announced, reaching for her gift under the tree and setting it in his hands. "I wasn't sure what to get you, but I think I found the perfect gift. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will."

After shaking the gift a few times and taking a few wild guesses as to what it could be, Akira ripped through the paper and opened the small box to reveal a baseball. It wasn't just any old baseball, though. Signed on the ball was the signature of Kiyohara Kazuhiro, Akira's all-time favorite player.

"Wow, this is amazing, Ami!" he said, looking at the baseball as if it was some kind of holy relic.

"Do you really like it?"

"Like it? I love it," Akira assured her. "Thank you."

Setting the ball aside, he then went over to the couch and brought over his present for Ami. "I'll be honest; I actually bought this for you months ago," Akira declared, somewhat sheepishly as he sat back down, cross-legged on the floor. "It kept calling out to me, saying 'Buy me, buy me. Ami will love it.'"

"Really?"

Her curiosity aroused, Ami picked up the plainly wrapped box and lightly shook it as Akira had done before with his. Whatever it was, it seemed to make a lot of noise, almost as if some of the pieces were loose and moving around inside. That ruled out books or clothes, and the box was far too large and heavy for jewelry -- not that she had expected any. It was still too early in their relationship for something like that.

Cautiously, Ami began unwrapping the present, careful not to make any unnecessary tears in the snowman-decorated wrapping paper. She always kept gift paper as a keepsake, a habit that drove her friends insane on her birthday and other gift-giving holidays, and Akira was no exception, practically salivating as he watched her peel off the tape from the sides. When she finally pulled the paper away, Ami gasped when she saw what it was.

He had given her a chess set, but it was unlike any chess set Ami had ever seen in her life. The board, set inside a silver frame, consisted of blue-and-white squares instead of the more traditional black-and-white, and the pieces were all carved out of beautiful Swarovski crystal. Lifting the lid off the box, Ami picked up the blue queen and was amazed by the amount of detail on the small figurine. Everything from her silver-plated crown to the scepter she held in her right hand was perfect.

"Oh, Akira, it's beautiful," she breathed, setting the piece back down in its place inside a velvet-lined silver box. "I don't think I've ever seen a set so gorgeous. It's almost too pretty to play."

"Don't tell me I spent all that money on this thing and you're not even going to use it," Akira teased. "Chess sets are meant to be played."

"Well, maybe on special occasions…"

"Does this count as a special occasion?" he asked, pulling out the board and setting it on the floor.

"You want to play now?"

"Sure, although you might have to refresh my memory a little on the rules. It's been a while since I've played. What color do you want?"

Ami didn't have to think twice, reaching for the silver box with the blue crystal figurines. "I'll be blue."

"Somehow, I thought so," he said, chuckling.

By default, Akira took the other box of clear crystal pieces, and they began setting up the board for play, Ami reminding him of what moves each of the pieces could make as she placed her figurines on the board. She couldn't be positive, but Ami suspected Akira actually knew the rules of the game quite well and was only pretending to be ignorant. Her suspicion was further evidenced by his use of a daring opening move, reminiscent of one of the most well-known Chess Masters of all time.

"Are you sure you haven't played in a while?" Ami asked about a quarter into the game, a game he was playing remarkably well for someone who claimed to be out of practice.

"Well, I admit I was president of Toudai's chess club back during my undergraduate days…"

Ami rolled her eyes as Akira reached for one of his pawns and set it in position to take hers. Ignorant? Hardly. Tokyo University's chess club was known for producing some of Japan's finest champions, but Ami was fully up to the challenge. Studying the board in front of her for a full minute before making her next move, she analyzed all of her possible strategies and finally chose to move the knight.

"Ah-ha!"

As she had hoped, Akira moved to take the pawn -- a minor sacrifice on her part -- but his satisfied smirk disappeared a couple moves later when she managed to steal one of his rooks.

"The tide has changed," Ami declared, snatching his piece off the board and setting it aside. "What are you going to do now, Akira?"

"Oh, is this how it's going to go?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "In that case…"

Akira's next move, a surprise attack she failed to anticipate, captured her knight with a bishop, and Ami let out a very un-ladylike curse. As Akira laughed, Ami slapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment, not believing she had actually said that word aloud. She always prided herself on being able to keep her cool in battle, whether it was fighting the random monster-of-the-day or participating in a chess match.

"I wasn't aware you had such a colorful vocabulary, Ami," Akira teased. "It's kind of sexy."

"It's your fault," she shot back once she had recovered. "You're a bad influence on me."

"Hey, don't blame me. Even I only use that word rarely."

"Yes, well…"

Unable to come up with a suitable retort, Ami turned her attention back on the game and made her next move. Akira, who was still laughing, failed to defend a weakness, so Ami was able to easily capture one of his pawns on her next turn. He retaliated a few moves later by taking one of her bishops.

"You know, you're pretty good at this," Ami said, moving a knight out of harm's way. Other than her father, who had taught her the game when she was a little girl, Akira might have been the toughest competitor she ever played against. She was thoroughly enjoying the challenge.

"Only 'pretty good'?" Akira teased as he pondered his next move. "I think I'm doing damn good for someone who hasn't played since his college days."

"His _championship_ college days."

"Well, you're not so bad yourself." Smirking, Akira moved his pawn to last rank of the board and turned it upside down, thereby making it a queen and putting the piece in the position a capture her king. "Although perhaps not good enough. Check."

"Not so fast." Using her rook, Ami was able to move two spaces over to capture the newly crowned queen and get herself out of check.

"Impressive."

"You haven't seen nothing yet."

The match escalated from there on out, with both of them putting each other into check every sixth turn or so, give or take a few. They were both equally matched when it came to their skills, and it was becoming obvious that neither one would be able to take a decisive victory, at least not unless one of them slipped up and made a mistake. Looking over at Akira, who was staring at the board as if his very life depended on which move he chose to make next, Ami realized that wasn't bound to happen. Both of them wanted to win entirely too much.

The logical thing to do was ask for a draw, lest they spend the rest of the most romantic night of the year locked in a match neither could hope to win, but Ami couldn't bring herself to do it. If she were the one to ask for the draw, it would seem as if she thought Akira was better than her, which she most certainly did not. His skills were arguably equal to hers, but definitely not superior.

 _Still, it is getting late_ , she thought, glancing up at the clock sitting on the mantle above the fireplace. It was already nearing eleven.

"Ami, your move," Akira said, bringing her mind back to the game. She hadn't even realized he had finished his turn.

"Oh, sorry."

Leaning on one hand, her legs laying to the side, Ami unconsciously began unbuttoning the first few buttons of her red cardigan sweater as she pondered her next move. She had done so because she was starting to get hot sitting in front of the fireplace, but the unbuttoning seemed to have another added benefit she didn't think about until she caught Akira staring at the bit of modest cleavage it revealed. Instead of blushing as she normally would have done, Ami decided to use her sex appeal to her advantage.

"It's getting warm in here," she commented casually, slowly unbuttoning the rest of the buttons, then slipping the sweater off to show the matching red camisole she wore beneath. Ami tossed the cardigan aside and made her next move on the board, leaning over so Akira got a good look. "Aren't you getting hot, Akira?"

"Uh…y-yeah, a little," he stuttered. Akira tugged at the collar of his sweater, looking decidedly hot under the collar. "Do you want me to put out the fire?"

"No, I'm fine now," she replied, a bit ashamed to admit she was actually starting to enjoy her subtle seduction. Still leaning forward, Ami raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you going to make a move?" she challenged, being deliberately vague.

"A move?"

"The game?"

"Oh, yeah, right."

When he finally managed to take his eyes off of her, Akira reached for his rook, making the unfortunate fatal error that would lead to his downfall. Smiling in triumph, Ami moved her queen next to Akira's king.

"Checkmate."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Akira protested when he realized she had won. "You were distracting me."

"Oh, was I? I'm sorry."

Chuckling, Akira shook his head and began putting the pieces back into their respective boxes. "You don't fool me one bit, Ami," he said. "You knew perfectly well what you were doing. I'm just surprised you would stoop so low as to use your sexuality in order to win a chess game."

"What can I say? I take chess very seriously."

"So I see."

"Thank you for the set, by the way," Ami said, placing the lid back on the box once they had put the game away. "I love it."

"I'm glad. Thanks for the baseball. I know you must have gone through a lot of trouble to get it for me."

Ami laughed, suddenly realizing what truly unromantic gifts they had given each other. While Usagi would probably be showing off some beautiful piece of jewelry Mamoru had given her for Christmas, her boyfriend had given her a chess set, of all things -- albeit a very pretty chess set, but a chess set all the same -- hardly the type of present meant to inspire jealousy in her friends, which she supposed was a good thing. If Akira had bought her a bracelet or something else along those lines, there would be questions for sure, but, honestly, even if they had enjoyed a more public relationship, Ami would have taken the chess set over a shiny bauble any day.

"What's so funny?" Akira asked, giving her a strange look as he set the game on an armchair, out of the way.

Still chuckling, Ami shook her head. "It's nothing," she replied, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "I was just thinking what geeks we were."

"We are not."

"Yes, we are," she insisted, motioning toward their presents with her head. "A chess set? An autographed baseball? We have got to be the geekiest couple in the world."

"Well, if that is the case," he said, crawling over to where she sat and giving her a short peck on the nose, "then I love you, my beautiful geek."

Smiling, she was just about to lean in for a longer kiss when the full impact of his words hit home. "What?" Ami's eyes widened as she pulled back and stared at her lover. "What did you just say?"

"I said, 'I love you,'" Akira repeated, a hand reaching up to cradle her cheek. Shaking his head, he sighed. "It's crazy, I know. I probably shouldn't even say it, considering our…circumstances, but I'm tired of denying it. I'm crazy about you, Ami, and I suspect you feel the same way about me, don't you?"

"I-I…"

To say his confession was unexpected was an understatement. Ami had been secretly hoping to hear those words for a long time, but a part of her never truly believed it would really happen. No matter what promise they had made the first night at the cabin, she was still his student and he was still her teacher. They shouldn't even be there, much less confessing love for each other.

Still…

"I love you, too," Ami whispered, never more sure of anything in her entire life. Maybe it was wrong to love him, but she couldn't help the way she felt. At that moment, she finally understood the true depth of Usagi's love for Mamoru, the kind of love that would cause a person to sacrifice anything to be with the one they loved. Even if she had to give up her life, Ami knew she would do anything in order to be with Akira.

"You do?" he asked.

Ami nodded, getting on her knees and throwing her arms around Akira's neck. She felt tears welling in her eyes, but they were tears of happiness, and she made no attempt to wipe them away as Akira wrapped his arms around her waist and lightly kissed the top of her hair. They stayed like that for a long moment until Akira pulled away, only to lift up her chin and brush his lips against her.

"I love you, Ami," he repeated once more.

"I love you, Akira."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Tokyo, another couple was spending the most romantic night of the year studying, of all things.

When Yui first suggested they stay in for the night and do homework, Hideki, of course, assumed she had been joking. It was Christmas Eve, after all, and even the hardest-working students were bound to be taking a well-deserved break from their studies. As it turned out, however, Yui had been dead serious about their Christmas Eve study date and took great offense when Hideki subtly suggested that perhaps it would be more fun to go to an amusement park by leaving out the pair of tickets he had bought as a Christmas surprise.

"Amusement parks are for kids, Hideki," she had told him when she found the two tickets sticking out of her chemistry textbook where he knew she was sure to find them. "Not to mention I always get motion-sickness. Why would I want the spend the day on roller coasters and merry-go-rounds?"

Disappointed that she didn't like his surprise, Hideki sighed. "I just thought it would be fun, Yui. We didn't have any other plans, so--"

"What do you mean we didn't have plans? I thought we agreed we would stay in and study."

"You decided that," he had reminded her. " _We_ didn't agree on anything."

"You didn't exactly say no."

"That's because I didn't think you were actually serious."

"Hey, it's not like you came up with any better ideas!" Yui had shot back defensively. "I wasn't really serious at the time, but when we didn't come up with anything better, I figured that's what we would do."

"I did come up with a better idea." Hideki reached over and snatched the tickets from her hand, waving them in front of her face. "I bought us tickets to the amusement park! Expensive tickets at that!"

"I'm sorry you wasted your money, Hideki, but you shouldn't have made plans for us without consulting me first."

Angered, Hideki slapped the tickets back down on the counter. "Well, I'm sorry I thought it would be nice to surprise you for once!" he had snapped before leaving to take Mercury out for his morning walk.

Hideki couldn't believe how ungrateful Yui had been about the tickets. He had genuinely thought she would enjoy going to the amusement park. Ever if she did get motion-sickness -- a fact he had only just learned that morning when Yui told him -- there were other things they could have done at the park, like playing games or catching the magic show that was currently showing.

To be honest, though, his holiday vacation with Yui was not going how Hideki had envisioned. Part of the reason, he knew, was because of Mercury. The first day, Yui had tolerated Professor Kitagawa's Corgi fairly well, but, by Christmas Eve, she was openly hostile toward the poor dog, who now growled whenever they were in the same room together. It had become so bad between them, Hideki briefly considered taking Mercury back to the professor's apartment and checking in on him every couple of hours. However, he didn't want to break his promise to watch Mercury while Professor Kitagawa was gone, so Hideki resigned himself to being referee, making sure his girlfriend and the dog had as little contact as possible -- a difficult feat considering how small his apartment was.

Then there was the fact that after the first night, Yui wouldn't let him touch her. She claimed she was on her period, which certainly would have explained her moodiness, if it had been true, but she had used that same excuse only two weeks earlier. So, unless she had lied to him the first time or had some kind of medical problem she hadn't told him about, Hideki doubted the validity of her claim, especially since he saw no proof of it in his bathroom, not even an opened box of tampons.

Rejecting his gift had been the last straw. Figuring that the tickets shouldn't go to waste, Hideki had gone back to the apartment after Mercury's walk to get them, then called one of his friends in the Computer Club to join him. They'd had to take Mercury along with them, since Hideki knew leaving Yui alone with him for the whole day was just asking for trouble, but they had all had fun, and, when Hideki returned home, he came back in a much better mood, even stopping at a bakery to buy the two of them a Christmas cake. No matter how rude Yui had been about the gift, Hideki was determined that it wouldn't ruin the rest of their first Christmas Eve together.

Unfortunately, spending the day apart had not improved Yui's mood in the least. In fact, she seemed even crankier than usual after spending the afternoon doing homework while he was gone, refusing to welcome him back when he announced he was home, so Hideki decided the best course of action was just to leave her alone. Sighing, he pulled out his laptop, and, taking a seat on the couch with a tired Mercury laying at his feet, he began to work on own studies, giving Yui what she had wanted after all.

It was well over an hour before Yui finally acknowledged his presence. "I thought you said you didn't want to study tonight," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving the page she was reading.

Hideki momentarily looked up from his screen, surprised to hear her speak. He assumed by her behavior when he returned that Yui would give him the silent treatment the entire night. "Might as well," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's not like there's much else to do around here."

"Oh." There was a brief pause as Yui highlighted a passage in her textbook. "Did you have fun at the amusement park?"

"Yes, Taro-kun and I had a great time. You should have come."

"Maybe I should have," she sighed, finally putting down her bright yellow highlighter.

"What do you mean?" Hideki asked. "I thought you didn't like amusement parks."

"What do you think I mean?" After shutting her book close, Yui turned around on the floor so that she was facing him. "I'm trying to apologize here, Hideki."

"Apologize? You?" Though he tried to stop it, Hideki snorted in disbelief. In all the time he and Yui had been dating, he couldn't remember a single time when she had volunteered to apologize first for one of their fights. Normally, it was he who ended up breaking the ice, even if he privately thought she was the one more at fault.

Yui slapped Hideki on the knee, glaring at him. "Hey, if you're going to act like that, you can forget about it. I'm trying to be nice despite the fact that you gave my Christmas present away to one of those geeks in that club of yours and left me here all day with nothing to do but study."

"I thought you wanted to study," Hideki pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest after saving his work and setting his laptop aside. If that was Yui's version of an apology, it was obvious she hadn't had much practice. "And what did you expect me to do with the tickets? Throw them away after I spent most of my dog-walking money for the last few weeks buying them for us?"

"No…" Yui at least had the decency to look embarrassed, probably only then realizing how expensive the tickets really were. "But couldn't you have returned them and gotten your money back?"

"They were non-refundable."

"Oh. Well, you should have told me that this morning."

"Why?" Hideki asked, raising an eyebrow. "Would you have gone with me if I had."

"Maybe."

Hideki sighed and leaned back on the couch, rubbing his forehead. As smart as she was when it came to academics, Yui didn't seem to get it at all. "Yui, if you really didn't want to go, I wouldn't have wanted you to go with me out of some sense of obligation," he said with a slight frown. "That wouldn't have been fun for either of us."

"Then why did you storm out of here in such a huff?" Yui asked. "If you didn't mind me not go--"

"It was the way you said it," he interrupted her, his temper momentarily flaring up again as he remembered their exchange that morning. "You know what? You made me feel like an idiot for not knowing about your motion-sickness when you never told me about it in the first place, then you couldn't even thank me for the tickets. Even if you didn't like them, you should have at least acknowledged the fact that I tried to do something nice for you. I probably could have sold the tickets to somebody else, gotten my money back, and bought you another present, but why should I have when you probably would have hated that one too?"

"I would not."

Hideki rolled his eyes. "Come on, Yui. When have you ever liked any of the presents I gave you?"

"I liked the book on medical practices in the Middle Ages you gave me for my birthday."

"Because you told me what to get you. You never even wear the other gift I bought you."

"You mean that scrap of fabric you call a teddy?" It was Yui's turn to roll her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "Honestly, I have no idea what possessed you to buy that thing for me. I don't have the body for it."

"I bet you look fantastic in it," Hideki insisted. "Did you even try it on?"

"No," she admitted.

"See? This is what I'm talking about. Whenever I try to surprise you with something, you never appreciate it."

"Fine. Would it make you feel better if I tried it on?" she asked, abruptly getting to her feet.

Hideki looked up, surprised. "You brought it with you?"

"I never actually took it home with me. I left it here in my drawer," Yui confessed, heading toward the bedroom. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

His brows furrowed in confusion, Hideki wondered what had just happened. Had they made up without him realizing it? Despite saying that she wanted to apologize, the words "I'm sorry" never actually escaped Yui's lips. Yet Hideki found himself not really caring when Yui returned to the living room a few moments later, dressed in a red lace teddy that made her titian hair -- which she had let down from the ponytail she wore before -- seem even more fiery than usual.

"See? I told you," she said, hands on her hips as she stood before him. "I look like a giant apple."

"What are you talking about? You look gorgeous!"

"I do not. You're only saying that because you think I'm going to sleep with you."

Hideki arched his left eyebrow, though the slightest twinge of a smile tugged at his lips. "Really? And here I thought that since you said you were on your period, sex was off limits."

"Oh, you know as well as I do that was a lie."

"Ah-ha!" Jumping up from the couch in triumph, Hideki wagged his finger in her face. "I knew it! I knew you were faking."

Yui glared at him, but she couldn't stay mad at him for long. Giggling, she pushed Hideki back on the couch, then getting down on her knees, she reached for the zipper on his jeans and pulled it down.

"Shut up and let me give you _my_ Christmas present."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas morning found Akira and Ami asleep on the living room floor, having never made it to bed the previous night. A crocheted throw from the couch was wrapped around their naked bodies, and around them, their clothes were strewn haphazardly about the room. The fire, once blazing, had dimmed only to a few embers, leaving a slight chill in the air.

Akira, awakened by the cold, looked over at his sleeping lover beside him and smiled, thinking about the previous night. He didn't know what had possessed him to finally confess his feelings, but he didn't regret it in the least, knowing in his heart that what he felt for girl in his arms was the real thing. It was far deeper and richer than anything he had ever experienced with Maeko or any of his other previous girlfriends -- love in true form, not the superficial passion he had once confused as love.

Not that he didn't hold any passion toward Ami… Last night was more than proof of that, but sex was really only one aspect of their relationship, and hardly the most important.

Thinking back on his relationship with Maeko, he wondered how long they would have lasted if sex had been taken out of the equation. Probably not as long as they had. He had cared for her, yes, but not enough to truly sustain a long-term relationship. They had fun and had enjoyed each other's company, but they never had achieved real intimacy despite the physical nature of their relationship.

Careful not to wake Ami up from her peaceful slumber, Akira rolled over on his side and sighed as he ran a hand through his messy hair. Was he crazy to be feeling the way he did? Ami was, after all, still his student, and that wasn't about to change any time soon. Even after she finished the course, it wasn't likely that their relationship would be any more accepted than it was now as long as she still attended Tokyo University. Was it realistic to believe they could really keep their love a secret for a couple more years?

As it was, Akira felt like climbing on the rooftop of the small cabin and shouting at the top of his lungs that he was in love with Mizuno Ami, ice and snow be damned. He wanted the whole world to know how he felt, yet he knew it was a risk they could not take. Once they returned to Tokyo, the freedom allowed to them by the holiday vacation would once again disappear, and the lies would begin anew.

Shaking his head, Akira forced the thoughts away. They would worry about that when it was time to go home. Instead, he vowed to enjoy the rest of the time they did have together away from judging eyes and bent his head down to gently brush his lips against those of his sleeping girlfriend.

Awakened by the kiss, navy blue eyes fluttered open. "Good morning," Ami said, stifling a small yawn as she stretched out her body, her leg brushing against his.

"Merry Christmas."

"Right. Merry Christmas," she corrected herself, a smile on her face. "Did last night really happen, or was it only a dream?"

"If it is, I don't want to wake up from it," he said truthfully. "Last night was the best night of my life."

"Me, neither." Propping herself up on her elbow, Ami began tracing circles on his chest with the pointer finger of her free hand. "Say it again, Akira."

"Say what again?" he teased, knowing exactly what she wanted. Ami couldn't seem to get enough of hearing him say the words aloud, almost as if she needed reassurance that they were real and not some figment of her imagination.

"You know what."

Pretending to have to think it over, Akira playfully tapped his chin in feign thought. "Merry Christmas?"

"Akira…"

"Okay, okay." Taking her hand, Akira entwined his fingers with her own and smiled as he said the words he knew she really wanted to hear. "I love you, Ami."

"I love you, too, Akira."

Ami started to bring herself down for a kiss, but stopped mid-way. A loud sigh escaped from her lips instead, and she fell back on the pillow she had stolen from the armchair the night before, her hand resting on her forehead.

"Something wrong?" Akira asked, alarmed. She wasn't having second thoughts about last night, was she?

Ami shook her head. "No, I just remembered that I forgot to give you the second part of your present last night. I can't believe I forgot!"

Akira laughed, half in relief and half in amusement. "There's a second part? Ami, the baseball was more than enough. You didn't have to get me anything else."

"It's not really for you, per se," she explained, blushing. "It's more like something I got for myself that I thought you would like."

Something for her that she thought he would like? Several possibilities immediately came to mind, all of them right up Akira's alley, especially if it was yet another sexy piece of lingerie. He had quite enjoyed the little fashion show his usually modest Ami had been giving him since they arrived at the cabin. "I'm intrigued. Why don't you show it to me now? It's still Christmas."

"No, it was kind of silly, anyway," she said, sitting back up and holding the blanket modestly against her bare chest. "Besides, shouldn't we start packing soon? Check-out time is at noon, right?"

Akira glanced up at the clock sitting on the mantle. It was only eight-thirty. "We have plenty of time," he assured her. "Come on. Show it to me. Please?"

"Really?"

"Yes, I want to see it. Now go do whatever it is you need to do."

He made a little "shooing" motion, and Ami laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll be back in a minute." Standing, she wrapped the blanket around herself and headed to the bedroom.

While he waited for Ami to return, Akira slipped on his boxers and went over to the fireplace to start up the fire again, bringing some much needed warmth to the room. Once that was done, he walked over to one of the cabin's windows for a peek outside.

"Man, I hope we don't have much trouble getting to my folks' place," he said, looking out at the winter wonderland of snow and ice left behind by last night's storm. As beautiful as it was, as a native of the region, Akira was very well acquainted with the problems snow could cause, especially when out on the roads. A fifteen minute drive to the store could end up being doubled, sometimes even tripled, depending on how bad the conditions were.

Akira figured he should probably call his parents and tell them they might be a little later than expected, just to be on the safe side, but before he made it over to the phone, Ami's voiced called for him from the bedroom.

"Akira, I'm ready."

"Then come on out and show me already," he said, laughing.

"Um…why don't you come in here instead?" she suggested.

Akira shrugged, already heading in that direction anyway. "Okay, if you say so."

Opening the door to the bedroom, Akira found his girlfriend sprawled out seductively, if a bit awkwardly, on the bedspread. She laid on her side, one leg raised and bent at the knee, while her head rested on one of her hands. The other hand played with the fuzzy white ball attached to the end of a red hat she wore over her dark blue hair. The hat went perfectly with the rest of her ensemble, which consisted of a sheer baby-doll trimmed with faux white fur and a matching red thong.

Unable to hide his amusement, Akira chuckled. "What are you wearing, Ami?"

"Ho, ho, ho," was her only response as Ami sat up and tossed the hat in his direction.

Placing the hat on his head, Akira smiled and jumped on the bed.

"Merry Christmas to me!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the short drive to Nagano, Ami was even quieter than usual, barely saying a word unless spoken to first. Akira could tell she was nervous about meeting his family for the first time, and, quite frankly, so was he.

Not that he was afraid they wouldn't like Ami. Akira was almost certain his family would embrace her as they had done Maeko, claiming her as one of their own within minutes of meeting. However, he worried what Ami would think of them, especially his mother, who had a tendency to be overbearing at times.

From what he had learned of Ami's past, she hadn't been raised in the kind of strong family environment he had. Her parents divorced when she was seven, and, as an only child, she lived with her busy doctor mother and rarely saw her father, a talented artist who often traveled for his work. He, on the other hand, had two wonderful parents who were still as much in love with each other as the day they were married, and, despite the large differences in their ages, Akira counted his brother Satoshi and sister Junko among his closest friends. To someone who had not come from such a close-knit family, Akira knew it would be a shock.

"We're almost there, Ami," Akira said as he turned down the familiar road leading to his parents' house and waved to a couple of schoolchildren who were building a snowman in one of the neighbor's yards. Last night's snow had left a good four to six inches on the ground, giving them plenty to work with. "Are you ready?"

Ami nodded, her eyes staring blankly out the car window. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said softly, "but what if they hate me, Akira?"

"Won't happen. Don't worry about it. They're going to love you."

"You keep saying that, but what if they think I'm too young for you? Or what if they think you should still be with Maeko-san? Or what if --"

"First of all, the age factor is not going to be a problem," he declared, cutting her off before she could voice any more doubts. "Mama is twelve years younger than my father, and she was even younger than you when they got married. Second, nobody thinks I should still be engaged to Maeko. That was a long time ago, and they know we've both moved on with our lives."

"But --"

Reaching over, Akira gave Ami's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Relax, Ami. Everything will be fine. I promise."

She forced a small smile and nodded as Akira brought his hand back to the steering wheel and pulled into a freshly shoveled driveway in front of his childhood home. After killing the engine, Akira got out of the car and began getting their things out of the trunk. Ami took a little more time, still hesitant when she finally joined him and took a few of the lighter bags.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked, closing the trunk once they had retrieved their luggage and leading her to the front door, which was decorated with a small, tasteful wreath of holly.

"It's lovely, Akira," Ami replied, somewhat wistfully, as she stared at the modest two-story house. "I remember when I was a little girl, I always wanted to live in a house just like this. Okaa-san preferred living in apartments, though, and my father was content with his tiny cabin in the woods."

"I'm glad you like it."

Walking up to the threshold, Akira set down the heavy suitcase he carried in his left hand and prepared to ring the doorbell. His finger only made it halfway to the button, though, when abruptly he paused and let his hand drop back to his side.

"Something wrong?" Ami asked. She came up behind him, putting the other large suitcase down next to his and dusting off the few flakes of snow that had fallen onto her dark blue hair. "Are they not home?"

"No, as far as I know, they should be here," Akira replied, turning around to face his girlfriend. "It's just that I feel I should…warn you of something before we go inside. About Mama."

"Your mother?"

Ami shot him a confused look, her head tilted slightly to the side, and Akira sighed, running his hand through his hair. How did one prepare anybody for the experience of meeting Kitagawa Izumi for the first time? A couple of shots of sake would have been nice at the moment, but, unfortunately, he had not thought to pack any in his suitcase, so the best Akira could do was try to warn Ami what to expect and hope that she could handle it.

"Don't get me wrong, Ami -- I love my mother very much," he began, picking his words carefully. "She's a wonderful, loving woman with an incredible zest for life. It's just that she sometimes tends to come on a little…strong."

 _To put it nicely_ , Akira mentally added to himself.

"What do you mean?" Ami asked.

"You'll understand when you meet her."

Satisfied that he had performed his boyfriendly duty, Akira inhaled deeply and finally rang the doorbell. Soft chimes pealed, announcing their arrival, and, before the bells had even finished clanging, the front door was swung open, revealing an attractive forty-ish blonde woman, her green eyes sparking as soon as she saw her son.

"AKIRA!" The short, slightly pudgy woman immediately launched herself at him, pulling Akira into a tight hug and leaving a trail of faint red lipstick marks on his cheeks as she barraged him with kisses. "My baby, it's so wonderful to see you!"

Knowing better than to fight her affections, Akira surrendered to the attack and let out a long-suffering sigh. Apparently, some things never changed, no matter how old he got.

"Merry Christmas, Mama."

The kisses abruptly stopped, and his mother released him. "'Merry Christmas, Mama'? Is that all you have to say?" she asked, wagging a finger in his face. "How about an apology, young man? Do you realize it has been almost four months since you last visited your poor family who loves you?"

"Mama, you know I've been busy with school and my research, and don't I always remember to call you on Sunday?"

"Phone calls are no replacement for seeing your handsome face." Pinching his cheek, Mama frowned. "Have you lost weight? I hope you aren't spending all your time in that lab and forgetting to eat."

"I eat fine, really." Akira resisted the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation and reached up to detach her lobster claw fingers from his face before introducing her to Ami, who, by some miracle, had yet to run away in fright. "Mama, there's somebody I want you to meet," he announced. "This is Mizu--"

A squeal of delight cut off his introduction, and before Akira realized what was happening, his mother had pushed him off to the side for a better view of the blue-haired girl standing shyly behind him. "Don't tell me -- this must be Ami-chan!" she gasped, her clasped hands pressed against her chest. "Oh, isn't she pretty, Akira! Younger than I expected, but your father is quite a few years older than me, so there's nothing wrong with that."

While Akira rubbed his sore arm, which, during his mother's outburst of enthusiasm, he had banged against the side of the house, Ami blushed and bowed politely. "I-It's very nice to meet you, Kitagawa-san," she stuttered. "Thank you for inviting me to spend the holidays with you and your family."

"No, no, no, you must call me Izumi-mama!" Mama insisted with a none-too-subtle wink in Akira's direction. "After all, it won't be long before you're a part of the family, right?"

"Mama!"

As usual, his mother ignored his protest, grabbing Ami's wrist and nearly yanking her inside. "Oh, how rude of me, keeping you two outside in that bitter cold! You must be freezing! Come in, come in!"

As they headed inside, Ami looking as if she was about to be thrown into a den of wild lions, Akira couldn't help but hide a small smile while he changed into the slippers provided for them. She couldn't say he hadn't warned her…

"Where is everybody else?" he asked, looking around. Akira had half-expected his mother to have the entire family downstairs, waiting for their arrival.

"Oh!" Walking over the staircase, his mother yelled, "Nibori! Satoshi! Junko! The prodigal son returns! Get down here and say hello!"

That time, Akira didn't bother to hide his embarrassment, covering his face in mortification as, beside him, Ami stifled a giggle. Seconds later, they heard the sound of footsteps as a pretty blonde teen in a ponytail made her way down the stairs.

"Onii-chan!" Spotting him, the seventeen-year-old ran down the rest of the stairs and embraced him in a giant hug. "You're here!"

"Junko!" Akira didn't realize how much he had missed his little sister until that moment. Boy, had she changed since the last time he had seen her. "Have you grown since the last time I came home?" he asked when they pulled apart, noticing that the top of Junko's head now almost reached his nose.

"You ask that every time you come home," she giggled, rolling her eyes.

"That's because you keep sprouting like a weed. One of these days, you might even outgrow Satoshi."

"Speaking of your other brother, Junko," their mother cut it, still staring up the stairs, "where are Satoshi and your father? Aren't they coming down to welcome Akira home?"

"Mama, don't you remember? Papa and onii-chan went out for some last minute gift shopping this morning."

"They did? Oh, that's right." Mama shook her head, placing her hands on her ample hips. "Men! Why do they always have to wait until the last minute to buy presents? Akira, I hope you at least managed to get most of your shopping beforehand."

Akira held up a large shopping bag filled with gifts. "They're right here."

"Good boy." Taking the bag, Mama started toward the living room. "I'll go put these under the tree. Junko, why don't you help your brother and Ami-chan take their bags upstairs? I've already fixed up your old room, Akira, and Ami-chan, you'll be staying in Junko's room," she announced, pausing in the entryway leading to the other room. "Unless, of course, you would rather stay in Akira's room…"

If he had been embarrassed before, Akira was positively horrified upon hearing those words coming out of his mother's mouth. The subject had never come up when he had dated Maeko, since whenever they visited Nagano, she had always stayed with her family who also lived in the city. To hear his mother acknowledge his sex life so frankly was a bit of a shock, especially in front of Junko, whose eyes had widened slightly when she comprehended the hidden assumption behind the offer.

"MAMA!"

"Please, Akira, your mother is not so old-fashioned to believe you are a twenty-eight-year-old virgin," Mama said without a hint of embarrassment. "You two are adults, and if you would like to share a room together, that is perfectly fine with me."

A blushing Ami shook her head. "Junko-san's room will be fine, Kita-- I mean, Izumi-mama."

"Suit yourself. Junko?"

Recovering from her shock, his sister took a couple of Ami's bags and headed up the stairs.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami was still red as a tomato when she and Junko entered the younger girl's room a couple of minutes later. A futon, which Ami assumed was for her, had already been set on the floor, and, without asking, she sat down her suitcase, surprised when she glanced up and found the blonde teen shaking her head.

"No, that's for me," she announced, placing the bags she had carried beside a neatly made bed. "The bed is yours, Ami-san."

"A-Are you sure?" Ami stuttered. "I'll be fine on the futon."

Junko smiled brightly, putting Ami somewhat more at ease. She seemed to have completely put the embarrassment of a few moments earlier out of her mind. "I don't mind at all. Please, take it. I also cleared out one of my drawers and made some room in my closet for your clothes."

"Thank you, Junko-chan."

After bowing in gratitude, Ami brought her suitcase to the bed and started unpacking while Junko plopped down stomach first on what was left of the mattress and rolled onto her side. Ami was acutely aware that the Akira's little sister was staring at her and felt herself become self-conscious as she pulled a couple of dresses from the suitcase and hung them in the closet.

The girl seemed polite enough, but Ami wondered what the teen really thought of her. Did she disapprove of the age difference? After all, Ami was much closer to Junko's age -- only a three year difference -- than Akira, who was eight years her senior. Or maybe…

"You know, you really are beautiful, Ami-san," Junko unexpectedly declared, interrupting Ami's thoughts and causing her to jump in surprise.

"Huh?"

The blonde giggled and pulled herself into a sitting position, knees pressed up to her chest and her back against a poster of Utada Hikaru which hung on the wall behind her. From what Ami could see, Junko's collection of idol posters would give even Minako a run for her money, practically making the floral-print wallpaper unnecessary. They were everywhere, some even taped to the ceiling.

"Don't tell me my brother never told you that," Junko said with a roll of her eyes, a dark blue color instead of the green of her mother and brother. "Idiot! He certainly didn't have a problem telling us that you were pretty, though now that I've met you in person, it seems like such an understatement."

"He said that?" Ami's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

Ponytail bobbing, Junko nodded. "Of course. He also said you were the smartest person he had ever met, which is a pretty big compliment coming from Mr. Know-it-all himself. When we were growing up, onii-chan used to say the only person smarter than him was some physicist genius named Stephen Hawking-san, and that was only temporary."

Ami laughed, imagining Akira as an overconfident young boy with an ego the size of China. Age had made him far more modest, but she supposed that any fifteen-year-old kid who had tested straight out of high school and enrolled in college deserved at least some bragging rights.

"What else did he say?" she asked, curious in spite of herself.

Pondering the question, Junko frowned. "That was pretty much it," she admitted. "Onii-chan's been really vague about your relationship so far. We weren't even aware he had a new girlfriend until he asked if he could bring you home to meet us."

"Oh."

It made sense that Akira wouldn't talk about her, considering the circumstances. The less Akira's family knew about their relationship, the better, though Ami hated the idea of lying to them.

"So, how long have you and my brother been dating?" Junko asked.

"Um…only a few months, really."

"How did you meet? Was it really romantic?"

"I wouldn't say that…" Ami answered, pushing a strand of hair back behind her ear as she tried to remember the cover story she and Akira had concocted beforehand. "We just happened to run into each other at the library when we were searching for the same book, got to talking, and discovered we had a few things in common."

"That sounds pretty romantic to me," she said. Junko reached for the pillow beside her and crushed it to her chest, a wistful look on her face. "It's like you two were fated to meet."

Ami blushed, and, uncomfortable with the line of questioning, immediately decided to change the subject. If only Junko knew the true story of how they had met, would she think it so romantic then?

"Akira mentioned you had a boyfriend?"

The younger girl snapped out of her dreamy state and nodded, her entire face lighting up at the mention of her boyfriend. "Yeah, Ikeda-kun. He's really sweet, and I like him a lot," Junko said, smiling. "Hey, does onii-chan still make that awful face whenever he mentions my boyfriend?"

"You mean this one?"

Ami paused in her unpacking and proceeded to do a perfect imitation of Akira, causing both of them to burst into giggles.

"Yes, that's the one! That's exactly what he does. You've got it down perfect."

"Well, I see it often enough…"

"Silly onii-chan! It's like he still thinks I'm a little girl, and my other brother isn't much better, though he's gradually warming up to the idea. Brothers!" Junko let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head, but Ami could tell that she didn't really mind. "Do you have any siblings, Ami-san?"

Resuming her unpacking, Ami shook her head. At least that was one question she could answer honestly. "No, I'm an only child, though I always wished I had a little brother or sister."

"Growing up, I always wanted a sister," Junko admitted with another sigh, before once again brightening. "Hey, Ami-san, will you be my big sister?"

Ami blinked, surprised by the request. "What?"

"Well, you are dating my brother, and if you two get married…"

"I think we have a long way to go before taking that step, Junko-chan," Ami said, smiling softly.

"But it will happen someday. I know it will," a confident Junko declared.

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because I know my brother, and onii-chan is head-over-heels in love with you. I could sense it from the moment I came downstairs."

"Akira and I do care greatly for each other," Ami admitted, her cheeks painted pink as she remembered what had happened the night before.

Almost as if Junko could somehow read her mind, she nodded in understanding. "He's told you he loves you, hasn't he?"

"Y-Yes, last night, actually," she stuttered. "How did you know?"

"You have the glow of a woman in love, Ami-onee-chan!"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Junko told whoever it was to come in as Ami went over to the dresser and put away a stack of sweaters.

"You girls aren't talking about me behind my back, are you?" Akira asked, standing in the doorway.

"Of course we are!" Junko answered, promptly sticking out her tongue at her brother.

Akira rolled his eyes and turned to Ami. "Are you finished here yet, Ami?"

"For the most part," Ami replied, placing a couple of sweaters into a drawer. "Why?"

"Because he wants to take you in his arms and hug you and kiss you…"

"Honestly, Junko, you get more like Mama every time I visit," Akira said with a shake of his head.

"There are worse things." Hopping off the bed, the teenager gave them a knowing wink. "Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Bye!"

Once Junko had managed to squeeze by her brother, who playfully blocked the doorway, Akira stepped inside the room, chuckling. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "The women in my family can be…less than subtle sometimes. Junko used to not be so bad, but I'm afraid becoming the only child in the house year-round since Satoshi left for Kyoto has made her vulnerable to Mama's influence."

"Actually, I like them very much. Junko-chan is so sweet, and your mother -- Well, she's very energetic."

"That's one way to put it," Akira said, coming up behind Ami and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Did you want something, Akira?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you want to see me?"

"Oh!" Akira laughed. "It was nothing important. I just finished unpacking my things and thought I would see if you needed any help."

"No, I'm fine. All I have left to put away are toiletries and…um…"

Ami glanced down at her suitcase, blushing when she noticed something she didn't remember packing. Mixed in with her collection of undergarments was a lacy black G-string, looking starkly out of place among her modest briefs and pastel-colored bras. Ami tried to hide it before Akira saw, but it was too late. Reaching into the suitcase, he pulled out the thong and held it up for inspection.

"New?" he asked.

"I-It was Mako-chan's idea to buy it," she explained, grabbing it from his hands and tossing it back in the suitcase. "I wasn't even going to bring it on the trip, but she must have snuck it in my suitcase when I wasn't looking…"

"Well, as long as it's here," Akira whispered suggestively in her ear, "want to try it on?"

"Akira! This is your parents' house. We couldn't possibly --"

Plucking the thong back out of the suitcase, Akira balled the G-string in one hand and grabbed hers with the other.

"Come on, I'll show you my room."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami finally met the rest of Akira's family later that afternoon, after the men had returned from their last-minute Christmas shopping. Unlike the females of the family, Mr. Kitagawa and Satoshi were decidedly more reserved.

As Akira had mentioned on the drive up to the house, his father Nibori was quite a few years older than his mother, though Ami thought he still looked relatively youthful for a sixty-year-old man. His face was mildly wrinkled, and his black hair was only starting to turn gray at the roots, giving him the look of a distinguished gentleman, an image further backed up by his mannerisms. He spoke formally, but with great affection toward his wife and three children, and Ami found herself instantly taking a liking to him, Mr. Kitagawa reminding her in some ways of her mother.

Satoshi, practically his older brother's twin in looks, was very much like his father in personality, speaking in the same soft, overly-polite fashion. That is, when he actually did talk. The law student kept mostly to himself, a quiet type who, while he didn't seem exactly uncomfortable around Ami, didn't go out of his way to talk to her either, unlike the rest of the family, who wanted to know everything and anything about her. At first, Ami worried it was because Satoshi disliked her, but while the rest of the family listened to one of Mrs. Kitagawa's long-winded stories over dinner, Akira leaned over and assured her that his brother's shyness was nothing personal. It simply took Satoshi a while to warm up to new acquaintances, a feeling Ami knew well from her own experiences.

Of course, what Satoshi lacked in social skills, Junko certainly made up for in spades. Since adopting Ami as an honorary "big sister," the teen had barely left the side of her "Ami-onee-chan," insisting on sitting next to her at the delicious Christmas feast Mrs. Kitagawa had prepared, then squeezing next to Ami and Akira on the loveseat when they went to the living room to open gifts. Quite frankly, between Junko and Mrs. Kitagawa, it was hard to tell who was the more obsessed with her.

As for Mrs. Kitagawa -- or Izumi-mama, as she was constantly reminding Ami to call her -- the matriarch of the family didn't seem to let an opportunity pass by to fawn over Ami or to subtly (or in some cases, not-so-subtly) remind Akira that she thought it was high time he got married, which embarrassed him to no end. Even her Christmas gifts to the two of them had a decidedly marriage theme. To Ami, she had gifted a cookbook, "since Akira couldn't boil an egg even if his life depended on it," and to Akira, she gave a pair of books, "The Secrets of a Successful Relationship" and its sequel, "The Secrets of a Successful Marriage." Not wanting to seem ungrateful, they were both forced to smile and thank Mrs. Kitagawa for the thoughtful gifts, but Ami had no doubt that as soon as they got home to Tokyo, Akira would go straight to the bookstore to exchange the self-help guides for something more to his tastes. Likewise, her new cookbook would more than likely end up in Makoto's already extensive collection.

Once all the gifts had been opened and thanks given, Mrs. Kitagawa went to the kitchen and brought out tea and slices of Christmas cake for everyone. Even Junko took a small piece, much to Ami's surprise, considering her diabetes.

"It's sugar-free," Junko explained in answer to Ami's unasked question, taking a bite of the cake before returning to her favorite topic of the day: Ami. "So, Ami-onee-chan, what college do you go to? You haven't told us."

"I've been wondering that myself," Mrs. Kitagawa admitted, serving her husband a cup of tea. "Akira works at Toudai, but certainly you're not a student there. I doubt the school would take kindly to a professor dating a student."

Ami shifted uncomfortably in her seat. So far, other than Junko wanting to know how they met, they had managed to avoid the more troublesome questions about their relationship, but luckily, she and Akira had already devised a cover story, anticipating the subject might come up. "I attend Keiou University," she lied, using the name of Mamoru's college. Ami felt she was familiar enough with the school and the teachers from Mamoru's stories to pull off pretending to be a student there. "I'm a second-year pre-med major there."

"Ah, yes, Keiou is an excellent school," Mr. Kitagawa remarked, appearing impressed. "I hear they have a wonderful pre-med program, and the medical school is among the finest in the country."

"Not to mention they have an _awesome_ baseball team," Akira butted in, causing his entire family, including the normally reserved Satoshi, to roll their eyes. Evidently, his obsessive love of the game was a well-known fact to everybody in the room, but Ami was thankful for the quick change in subject and reached over to squeeze his hand in gratitude.

"He doesn't make you go to all the games, does he?" Junko asked, giving Ami a look of sympathy before glaring over at Akira. "Oh, onii-chan, baseball isn't romantic!"

"For your information, Junko, I haven't taken Ami to a single game," Akira replied quite honestly. The only time they had been to a game together was that one Tokyo/Meiji game before they started dating, which didn't really count since they hadn't come together.

"Really?" The teen raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I find that rather hard to believe."

"Why is that? Ami's not really a fan, so I don't take her."

"It's true. He only makes me watch the games on TV," Ami said, smiling over at her boyfriend and resting a hand on his arm, "though I admit I usually fall asleep somewhere around the seventh inning. Personally, I think he's too embarrassed to take me with him to the stadium. Besides, we cheer for different teams." It was yet another lie somewhat rooted in the truth, but Akira's family seemed to accept it as a reasonable explanation as to why he had never taken her to a baseball game, especially when their "schools" were such big rivals.

"Well, I certainly hope you don't let your schools' rivalry get in the way of your relationship," Mrs. Kitagawa said, sitting back on the couch once she had finished serving everyone. "My son tends to get a little…crazy when it comes to his favorite teams."

"Mama, I do n--" Akira started to protest when his mother cut him off.

"Oh, don't deny it, Akira. You do too." Turning to Ami, she said, "Ami-chan, would you believe the reason why your boyfriend decided to attend Tokyo University instead of following family tradition and going to Kyoto University like we wanted him to was because Toudai had the better baseball team?"

"Really?" Ami looked over at her lover with wide eyes. "Is this true, Akira?

"It wasn't the only reason," he said, though unable to hide the faint blush that crossed the bridge of his nose. In a softer voice, he mumbled, "But, yeah, the baseball team might have played a small part in my decision…"

Ami giggled, amused that Akira, of all people, would choose a school based on the strength of an athletic team. He'd never told her that before, but, somehow, she could see him doing so. Akira might have been a brilliant scientist, but, in many ways, he was just a regular guy.

"You never played for them, though, did you?" she asked. "You're always sprouting statistics and watching the games, but I don't think you ever told me about any time you actually played."

"Akira used to be in Little League," Mrs. Kitagawa volunteered before her son could even answer. "Oh, Ami-chan, you should have seen him in his uniform! He was the cutest little slugger on the team."

Akira's blush deepened. "Mama…"

"You were!" Clapping her hands together, the pleasantly plump woman stood up and started toward a small bookcase in the corner of the room. "In fact, I believe we have a picture somewhere around here…"

"Oh, Mama, don't pull out the pictures. Ami's not inter--"

"Actually, I'd love to see them," Ami said, walking over to join Mrs. Kitagawa as she flipped through one of the many photo albums and scrapbooks on the shelf. Akira covered his face in embarrassment, but Ami couldn't resist the chance to see pictures of her boyfriend from his childhood.

It didn't take long for Mrs. Kitagawa to find the picture she was looking for. With the ease of someone who must have gone through the album numerous times over the years, she flipped to a page somewhere near the middle of the book and pointed to the 8x10 photograph of a young boy dressed in the blue-and-white uniform of the Dragons. Underneath, Mrs. Kitagawa -- or so Ami assumed, since she didn't recognize the handwriting -- had written, "My Little MVP - Akira, Age 10."

"Here it is," she said, a nostalgic look on her face. "Wasn't he just the cutest thing?"

"He really was," Ami agreed, nodding over the woman's shoulder. Akira looked positively adorable in the photograph, cockily leaning on his bat and winking for the camera. "You look pretty confident in this picture, Akira. You must have been a star player."

"Well, I always thought he was the best on the team, but, for some reason, his coach kept him on the bench most of the time," Mrs. Kitagawa said, a slight frown on her lips. "I never understood why."

Over on the couch, Satoshi, who had remained mostly silent ever since they finished opening presents, took off his glasses and started wiping them with a piece of cloth. "That was because nii-san spent more time calculating where the ball was going to go than actually paying attention to the game, kaa-san."

"Hey, you weren't much better, Satoshi," Akira reminded his younger brother. "What was your batting average? .136?"

"True, but at least I got to play in every game."

"Were you two on the same team, Satoshi-san?" Ami asked, sensing an opportunity to learn more about Akira's quieter brother, as well as possibly stop an impending argument between the siblings. Despite their closeness, Ami remembered Akira telling her on the way to Nagano that they could be very competitive with each other at times.

Unfortunately, her question seemed to clam Satoshi right back up. "Uh…oh, no, we played for separate teams since we were in different age brackets," he sputtered out before placing his glasses back on his nose and turning his attention back to his half-eaten slice of Christmas cake as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Ami sighed, disappointed, although she knew she should be patient. Just because the rest of Akira's family had accepted her almost immediately didn't mean Satoshi necessarily had to, as well. She just had to give him a couple of days to get used to her.

Mrs. Kitagawa, sensing the awkwardness in the silence that followed, put the album she was looking at back on the shelf and pulled out another. "You know, Ami-chan, if you liked that picture, I'm sure you'll love these," she said, smiling as she flipped through what appeared to be a bunch of Akira's baby pictures and stopped on a page of seaside photographs. "We took these on our first family vacation to the beach, when Akira was about two years old. Wasn't he just the cutest? Just look at his cute little tush--"

"MAMA!" Before Ami could even get more than brief glance at the photographs of an adorable toddler Akira, running naked on the beach while being chased by a younger and thinner Mrs. Kitagawa, Akira jumped up from the loveseat and nearly lunged for his mother, grabbing the album from her hands. "No more pictures. I'm sure Ami's not interested," he declared, his face beet red as he put the album back in its proper place, much to Ami's disappointment. In an effort to put the spotlight on somebody else, he turned to his little sister. "Hey, Junko, why don't you play us some Christmas music on the piano?" Akira suggested.

For the first time since Ami arrived at the Kitagawa house, Junko appeared shy and uncertain, wringing her Santa-printed napkin nervously around her long pianist's fingers. "Oh, I-I don't know…"

"I'd really like that, Junko-chan," Ami encouraged, smiling at the suddenly bashful teenager. "Akira tells me you play beautifully."

"I'm really not that good," she insisted.

"Don't listen to her, Ami-chan," Mrs. Kitagawa said, wagging her finger. "Junko has been playing the piano since she was four years old and even plans to attend a conservatory after high school. She's very talented, and that's not just a mother's pride talking. All her instructors say so."

"Mama…"

"It's true!" her mother gushed, going over to the loveseat and taking Junko's hand to pull her up. "Oh, come on, play a couple of songs for us, sweetie. Ami-chan wants to hear you play. Besides, it's tradition. We always have a sing-along after presents."

After a few mild protests, Junko finally relented, taking a seat at the upright piano pushed up against one of the living room walls and pulling out a book of Christmas carols. The lyrics were all printed in English, but that didn't stop anybody from singing along when Junko began to play, the teen's pretty soprano soaring over the voices of her mostly tone-deaf family members. Her fingers practically flew over the keys, bringing the music to life, and Ami was reminded of Haruka, playing accompaniment to Michiru's virtuoso violin.

As Ami sung along with the others, she couldn't remember having a more perfect Christmas.


	11. Chapter 11

_Things have been going really well so far_ , Akira thought to himself with a smile as he waited outside for whoever was in the bathing room to come out.

It had only been a couple of days since they had arrived at his childhood home for the holidays, and Ami had already won the hearts of nearly all his family members. His father thought she was absolutely charming, Junko considered her an honorary big sister, and he could tell his mother was itching to start planning the wedding. Only Satoshi had yet to really warm up to Ami, but Akira was certain that would change by the end of their visit, so he wasn't worried. His younger brother simply tended to take a while to feel comfortable around new people. It had been the same way with Maeko, and yet, in the end, Satoshi had been perhaps the one closest to his former fiancée.

He was thinking of ways to break the ice between Satoshi and Ami when the door slid open and Ami herself stepped out.

"Oh, Akira, I didn't realize you were waiting out here," she said, drying her hair with a towel. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

Akira grinned, taking in her soft, fluffy robe and the light scent of jasmine that filled the air around her. "No, not at all, although if I knew you were in there, I might have joined you."

"Akira!" Ami glanced around the empty hallway, and, finding they were alone, let out a sigh of relief. "You shouldn't say things like that here," she scolded him. "What if somebody heard you?"

"Ami, it's not like it's some big government secret that we're having sex," he reminded her, amused by her modesty. "In fact, I still don't see why you're insisting on staying in Junko's room when Mama did say it was fine if you wanted to stay with me. I've missed you."

"I miss you, too, but I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of doing anything while we're under your parents' roof when we're not married."

"I suppose that means I can't convince you to go back in there and help me with some hard-to-reach places," Akira said with a disappointed sigh, tilting his head toward the bathing room. "Well, can I at least get a kiss goodnight? Certainly, that's allowed."

Smiling, Ami wrapped her arms around his neck. "I do believe that can be arranged."

Her slightly-parted lips pressed against his, and Akira drank greedily from her mouth, making up for the fact that he would, once again, be sleeping alone. It took all his restraint not to reach down for the tie of her robe, and, when the kiss had finally ended, he groaned in frustration.

"You're a tease, an absolute tease," he muttered.

"Good night, Akira," was her only response, landing one final chaste kiss on his cheek before heading down the hall to his sister's bedroom.

As he watched Ami disappear, Akira was suddenly glad that it was his turn to use the bath. He definitely needed to cool down after that kiss. Turning toward the open door, he was about to go inside when he heard another door open. His first thought was that it was Ami, changing her mind about joining him in the bath after all, but, when Akira turned around, he saw that it was only his brother and sighed.

"Oh, it's you."

Satoshi, who didn't seem to catch the disappointed tone in his voice, walked over. "Were you going to take your bath, nii-san?" he asked.

"That was the plan."

"Well, would you mind if I went first? The documentary I want to watch starts at ten, so I'd like to take my bath now so I don't miss anything."

So much for that cool down…

"Sure, go ahead," Akira said, moving out of the way so that Satoshi could go in. "I have something…uh, I have to take care of, anyway."

"Thanks."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the room she was sharing with Junko, Ami turned the page of the book she was reading without much interest and stifled a yawn. Though it was rare that Ami came across a book she simply didn't like, her current reading selection was an exception. Ernest Hemingway might have been considered one of America's most celebrated authors, but, no matter how hard she tried, she honestly couldn't get into _The Old Man and the Sea_. Hadn't he ever heard of punctuation?

Deciding that it was pointless trying to keep her mind on the book, Ami placed a bookmark on the page she had left off and set the novel aside. She then smiled, remembering Akira's offer from earlier.

Ami couldn't deny she was tempted to join him. An erotic bath with her boyfriend sounded a hundred times more interesting than the adventures of an old Cuban fisherman trying to catch some big fish...

"No, don't be ridiculous, Ami," she scolded herself aloud, rolling over on her side and reaching for the only other reading material in sight: Junko's copy of the newest _Cosmopolitan_ , which was sitting on the nightstand.

Unfortunately, the first article she turned to happened to be titled "10 Sure-Fire Ways to Spice Up Your Sex Life."

"The cosmos is against me," she groaned, quickly closing the magazine and tossing it back on the table where she had found it.

Why was she even fighting the temptation, anyway? Junko had gone out for the evening with her boyfriend, and Akira's parents were safely downstairs, watching the evening news. The only one around upstairs was Satoshi, but the studious law student had mentioned over dinner that he had plans to watch some documentary in his room. It actually sounded quite fascinating, and she might have thought of joining him if she hadn't thought she would be intruding, but since Ami still wasn't entirely comfortable around Satoshi yet, it was the perfect opportunity for some alone time with her boyfriend.

"Why not?" she finally decided, getting out of bed.

Ami grabbed her robe from off the back of Junko's desk chair and slipped it on before heading to the door. To be on the safe side, she looked both ways down the hall before coming out, making sure the coast was clear. When she was positive nobody else was around, Ami tiptoed to the door to the bathing room and quietly slid it open.

If Akira had noticed her presence, he didn't acknowledge it, continuing to lather his body with soap as if she wasn't there. Ami didn't particularly mind, for he was giving her a great view of his backside. Standing at the door, she admired her lover's body for a few moments, then finally stepped inside, her untied robe slipping off her shoulders.

"Need any help with those 'hard-to-reach' places?" Ami asked in a sultry voice she never knew she possessed.

Surprised, Akira dropped the bar of soap he had been using and turned around to face her.

Only the young man wasn't Akira.

"M-Mizuno-san?"

Ami, immediately realizing her mistake, pulled her robe back up and closed her eyes as the man she had assumed to be her lover reached for a towel to cover himself. "Satoshi-san, I'm so sorry," she apologized, never more embarrassed in her entire life. "I-I thought you were Akira. He said he was going to take his bath after me."

"We switched."

"Oh."

Waiting a few seconds more, Ami finally took a peek and saw that Akira's brother had finished wrapping a large blue towel securely around his waist. Satoshi appeared as embarrassed as she felt, his arms awkwardly crossed over his chest to hide his lightly-defined pectorals and his eyes focused exclusively on the tiled floor. Ami felt absolutely horrible for walking in on him like that, but other than apologizing to him again for the unwelcome intrusion, she had no idea what else to do.

"Well…um…I should probably go," she said, slowly walking backwards to the door. "I-I really didn't mean to barge in like this…"

"H-Honest mistake, Mizuno-san. Nii-san and I do have similar looks…"

"But I should have knocked first, or something."

"It's okay. We're adults, right?"

"Right."

"Well, see you in the morning."

"Yeah, see you in the morning," she echoed, sliding the door open behind her. "Good night, Satoshi-san."

"Good night."

As soon as Ami stepped out of the bathroom, she practically sprinted back to Junko's room and threw herself on the bed, not even bothering to take off her robe. "What have I done?" she moaned loudly into a fluffy pillow.

She had wanted so badly for all of Akira's family to like her, but she could only imagine what Satoshi thought of her after that mortifying incident. He probably thought she was some kind of pervert or in the very least, a voyeur. How was she supposed to face Satoshi the next morning?

Or Akira, for that matter? Ami moaned again, thinking of how her boyfriend would react when he found out she had seen his younger brother naked. Even if it was an accident, he was bound to be upset.

She knew she should probably go find Akira and tell him what happened right away, but Ami couldn't make herself get up from the bed, her body feeling as if it was completely made of lead. Maybe if she just forced herself to forget about it, Akira would never even have to know. She didn't know Satoshi that well, but he didn't seem like the type who would tattle on her, especially when he knew it was an accident.

No, she had to tell him. It wasn't right to keep such a thing a secret from Akira. He had a right to know.

Determined, Ami managed to pull herself to an upright position and tied the belt of her robe tightly around her waist. She took in a few deep breaths to calm her racing heartbeat, reminding herself that she had no reason to feel guilty for what had happened, then went back out into the hall, stopping in front of Akira's door, which was right across from Junko's room.

"Ami, you can do this," she told herself, building up courage as she raised a fist to knock. "All you have to do is tell Akira the truth, and everything will be fine. Knowing him, he might even think it's funny. As long as you tell him, you have absolutely nothing to feel gu--"

"Ami-onee-chan!"

Hearing Junko's voice, Ami nearly jumped right out of her skin. She lowered her hand and quickly turned around to face the pretty teen.

"Oh, Junko-san, you're home already?" Ami asked, hoping her voice didn't sound as nervous as she thought it did. "Didn't you have a nice time with Ikeda-san?"

"No, we had a wonderful time, but my curfew is ten," Junko explained, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow in Ami's direction. "What are you doing outside onii-chan's bedroom, Ami-onee-chan?"

Blushing, Ami tried to fib an explanation. "T-This is Akira's bedroom? Oh, I didn't realize. I thought this was your room. I guess I must have gotten them confused."

"If you thought it was my room, why were you going to knock, knowing I was out on a date with Ikeda-kun?" Junko asked, not buying her story at all. "Why not just go in?"

"Um…"

Ami couldn't think of a plausible explanation, no matter how hard she tried. She simply blushed even redder, causing Junko to laugh and shake her head.

"Honestly, there's no reason why you need to lie to me," the teen said. "If you want to spend the night was onii-chan, go ahead. I don't mind."

"No! I-It's not like that. I promise!" Ami insisted, waving her hands in front of her. "It's just that--"

"Sure…"

"It's the truth!"

Junko shrugged. "If you say so," she said, though Ami could tell that she didn't really believe it. "But if you ever do want to sleep in onii-chan's bedroom, you shouldn't feel as if you have to sneak out. Really, it's fine. Mama did say it was okay if you shared a room, you know."

Ami remembered the embarrassing offer only all too well. She still couldn't believe Mrs. Kitagawa had been so forward as to suggest her son share a room with a woman who wasn't his wife. "That really won't be necessary, Junko-chan," she declared, walking back toward the room they shared and opening the door. "Now, why don't you tell me about your night?"

As Junko, her suspicions appeased at least for the moment, followed her into the room and proceeded to dive into a detailed, minute-by-minute account of her date with her boyfriend, Ami took one last look out the hallway and sighed before closing the door behind her. It looked as if her confession would have to wait until morning.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Something was not right.

All through breakfast, Akira couldn't help but notice a pronounced awkwardness between Ami and his younger brother. Despite the fact that they were sitting straight across from each other at the table, they seemed to be doing their best not to look at or talk to each other, and what small amount of conversation did pass between them consisted mostly of "Please pass me the butter, Mizuno-san," or "Would you like another muffin, Satoshi-san?" A person could practically cut the tension between them with a knife, it was so thick.

Akira didn't understand. Yesterday, Ami and Satoshi were getting along just fine. Okay, so maybe they had been a little shy around each other, but that behavior was normal for the both of them when they had just met somebody for the first time. That didn't explain why they were acting so cold to each other today.

"Well, I'm heading off to work now," Papa announced as he folded the morning paper and stood to leave, temporarily distracting Akira from his thoughts about Ami and Satoshi.

"So soon?" Mama asked, stopping right in the middle of a story she had been telling Junko. "But you didn't finish your eggs."

"Sorry, but we have an early meeting today at the firm," he apologized. "I'll be home at five, though." He gave Mama a quick kiss goodbye on the cheek before heading to work.

"So, what do you kids have planned for today?" Mama asked as she cleared her and Papa's places.

Junko was the first to speak up, a bright smile on her face. "Ikeda-kun promised he would take me ice skating today at the lake," she said, causing Akira to snicker when he remembered the last time his little sister had gone skating -- or perhaps "gone falling" was a better way to describe it. Junko hadn't been able to stand for more than ten seconds on the ice without falling right on her rear.

"Gee, I hope Ikeda-kun won't mind you tripping and falling all over him, Junko," he lightly teased, earning a glare and a muffin missile lobbed in his direction when their mother wasn't looking.

"I'll have you know I've been practicing, onii-chan. Ikeda-kun's been teaching me."

"She really is much better than before," Mama vouched. "She isn't quite the next Ito Midori or Sato Yuka, but she's getting there."

"So there," Junko said, sticking her tongue out at Akira, who just rolled his eyes before divulging his own plans for the day.

"Well, I was thinking of taking Ami on a tour of Nagano and showing her all my old haunts."

"You were?" Ami asked, abruptly looking up from her plate. She looked rather startled, as if she had only just started paying attention to the conversation when her name was mentioned.

"Sure, if you want," he replied, trying not to frown at her strange behavior. "I can't wait to show you the library, Ami. Back when Satoshi and I were younger, we'd used to spend practically our entire weekend there, didn't we?"

Across from them, his younger brother nodded, though he still didn't look over at Ami. "You'll enjoy it, Mizuno-san. You should go," Satoshi said in a clipped tone, stabbing a piece of pancake with his fork and stuffing it into his mouth. He didn't elaborate any further, barely speaking for the rest of the meal except when Mama asked him what he planned to do.

By that time, Akira was almost positive something had happened between Ami and Satoshi. Satoshi, a true bibliophile like Ami, loved the library even more than he did and normally could talk for hours on end about all the books he had read. If not even the mention of the library could spark a conversation between them, Akira didn't know what would.

After breakfast was over, Junko went upstairs to change for her skating date while Ami insisted on helping Mama with the dishes before they headed out. Satoshi, who planned to spend the day working on a paper for one of his classes, headed to their father's study, the only room in the house with a computer, and Akira followed him, determined to find some answers, once and for all.

"Do you dislike Ami?" Akira asked as soon as he reached the small home office, surprising his brother, who evidently had not realized he was being followed.

"W-What?"

Akira stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. "You heard me the first time, Satoshi. What problem do you have with my girlfriend?"

Sitting down at their father's desk, Satoshi pulled up a file on the computer and started to type. "I don't have any problems with Mizuno-san," he claimed. "She's a wonderful girl, and you two obviously care about each other very much. I'm happy for you."

"If that's the case, why don't you come with us to the library?" Akira offered. If anything could break the ice between them, it was their love of books. "I'm sure you probably need to do some research for that paper."

"I'd rather not."

"Why?"

"Because I'm busy, nii-san," he said, glancing up from the computer screen. "You two go on ahead and have fun. I'm sure Mizuno-san will love the library."

"Satoshi…"

Unable to let things go until he got the answers he wanted, Akira took a seat on the couch and studied his brother as Satoshi resumed work on his paper. No matter how hard he tried, he could not understand Satoshi's behavior toward Ami. Those two were so much alike, how could they not get along?

And then it hit him.

"You like her, don't you?"

The sound of Satoshi's typing died away as he lifted his fingers off the keyboard and swiveled around in the desk chair to face Akira. "What?" he asked in disbelief. "Nii-san, I do not have a cru--

"No, it makes sense," Akira continued, interrupting his brother's protest. The more he thought about it, the more he was positive he had found the answer. "It's okay, Satoshi. I don't blame you for being attracted to Ami. You two do have a lot in common, and Mama told me you and your girl recently parted ways --"

"Akira, Mizuno-san saw me naked," Satoshi unexpectedly blurted out.

"What?"

The confession came straight out of left field, leaving Akira a bit dazed. Sighing, Satoshi rose from his chair and took a seat beside him on the couch.

"Remember last night? When you switched bath times with me so I could watch that documentary?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"There was an incident."

"What kind of incident?"

Blushing, Satoshi looked down at his hands, which he was wringing in nervousness. "I'm not so sure I should be telling you this," he admitted. "I really don't want to get Mizuno-san in trouble. It was just an accident, a silly little screw-up, really…"

"What happened, Satoshi?" Akira asked, though he already had a vague idea. "I promise if it was an accident, I won't get mad at either you or Ami. I just want to know why you two have been acting so strangely."

"Well, Mizuno-san -- she walked in on me…while I was bathing."

"Ah… I see…"

"It really was an accident, nii-san," Satoshi was quick to remind him. "She thought I was you, since you were supposed to be the one taking your bath. You aren't mad, are you? Please don't blame Mizuno-san. She was just as embarrassed as I was when she realized her mistake -- Nii-san?"

Akira couldn't help himself. Bringing a hand to his mouth, he started snickering while Satoshi looked at him as if he had completely lost his mind. A lesser man might have been upset to hear that his girlfriend had seen his brother in the buff, but Akira, who knew that it really had been an honest mistake, thought it was absolutely hilarious.

"I don't see what's so funny about this, nii-san."

"It's not; you're right," Akira said between snickers. He tried to compose himself, but failed miserably. "But, boy, would I have loved to see the look on your faces!"

Annoyed, Satoshi stood and headed back to the desk. "I'm glad you find so much humor in my embarrassment," he said with a rare streak of sarcasm.

"Oh, Satoshi, I'm sorry," Akira apologized, finally managing to get himself under control. He wiped away the few tears of laughter that had run down his cheek. "You have to admit it is pretty funny, though."

"Yeah, I suppose it kind of is," he admitted, and their laughter began anew.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akira had been right about the library.

Ami had never seen so many books in one place in her entire life. With five whole floors of reading material and a sixth designated as a comfortable reading sanctuary, it was by far the biggest public library she'd ever visited, with the exception of the library at Toudai. Still, that library didn't have as varied a selection. Going down one aisle, Ami was amazed to see one side devoted to astronomy and the other devoted to geology.

"This place is incredible," Ami murmured softly to herself as she pulled out a book from the astronomy section and flipped through the pages. She would certainly have no trouble finding something better to read instead of that copy of _The Old Man and the Sea_ she had brought with her on the trip.

"You like it, then?"

Startled, Ami almost dropped her book until she turned around to see Akira smiling behind her. "Akira, don't scare me like that!" she admonished in a firm, but quiet, voice.

"Sorry," he apologized, though he didn't look very sorry to her. In fact, Akira looked very much like a cat who had just swallowed the canary. "Hey, guess what I have."

"What?" While she had been browsing, Akira had gone off on his own. Ami assumed he went to look for a couple of chemistry books he said he'd been searching for on the way there. "Did you find those books you wanted?"

"Better." His smile widened, and an all-too-familiar gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Don't tell me you found a copy of the _Kama Sutra_ ," Ami guessed, putting the book she had been scanning back on its proper shelf.

Akira shook his head. "No, although now that you mention it…"

"What is it, then?"

"This."

With a flourish, Akira revealed the hand he had been hiding behind his back. A key chain dangled from his finger.

"A key?"

"Not just any key," he said. "This key happens to open the door to the rare books room of the library. I got it from Shimizu-san, the librarian."

"The rare books room?" Ami took the key from his hand, confused. "Why did you ask for this?" she asked, looking at the tag attached to the key chain that gave the room's number. "I mean, I would love to see what kind of selection they have, but --"

"Let's just say that I'm ready to show you my fantasy."

"Your fant-- Akira!" Ami's face burned with a bright red blush when she realized what that fantasy must be.

"A promise is a promise," he reminded her.

"Y-Yes, but this the library!" Ami replied, her eyes wide. "We couldn't possibly --"

"Why not? As long as we lock the door and be really quiet, nobody would ever have to know."

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Ami. It's the perfect opportunity."

Akira grabbed her hand and started pulling her in the direction of the elevator. Ami had no choice but to come along, not wanting to draw any more attention than they already had. Several of the library's patrons stared as they passed by, and she was almost certain that at least one woman who had been browsing in the same aisle had overheard parts of their whispered conversation, though it could have been her imagination.

They headed up to the fifth floor, where the rare books room was located, and Akira led her to the locked door. Luckily, the floor, which mostly served as a reference area, was mostly empty except for a librarian putting away encyclopedias and a group of junior high school kids poring over dictionaries and study guides. Ami recalled that the high school entrance exams were coming up in a couple of months and sympathized with the students going through the traditional "Exam Hell" every ninth grader came to dread.

"Hey, Ami, hand me the key," Akira said, breaking her from a fond memory of her and the girls during their study sessions at Hikawa.

"Huh? Oh, right." She forgot she still had the key. Ami gave it back to him. "Here you go."

"Thanks."

Akira unlocked the door and showed her inside. The room was larger than Ami expected, containing about ten shelves of valuable books as well as glass cages along the walls, which were used to display ancient scrolls. The musty smell of old leather filled her nostrils, and, for the moment, Ami forgot the reason why Akira had brought her there, her fingers running across the binding of the antique books with reverence as she read the titles aloud while her boyfriend locked the door securely behind them.

" _The Tale of Genji, Oku no Hosomichi, The Holy Man of Mount Koya_ … I can't believe this selection, and most of these books are in pristine condition. Some of these must be worth millions of yen."

"I'm sure they do," Akira said, coming up behind her and pulling her hand away from the books, "but I must say that I don't find them quite as fascinating as a certain sexy, blue-haired bibliophile."

"Akira…"

Her lover turned her around to face him, placing the hand he was still holding against his cheek and kissing her wrist. Ami blushed, fighting against the feelings of arousal she could feel rising inside her.

"Akira, we can't do this here," she protested once again as he slid her hand down to his shoulder, bring the other one up to join it. "It's too risky. What if one of the other librarians has another key?"

Akira placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer. "Ami, I promise you nobody is going to interrupt us."

"Yes, but that's what you said the night we went skinny-dipping in your apartment's pool," she reminded him.

"This time I'm positive there won't be any interruptions. Only the head librarian, Shimizu-san, has a key to the place, and that was the one she gave to me when I signed in. None of the other librarians have the authority to allow people in here."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Ami, I've been coming to this library ever since I learned how to read. I know how things work around here. I even double-checked with Shimizu-san to see if they had changed anything since the last time I came, and she said the only changes they had made was adding some more computers and getting rid of the out-dated card catalog."

"Well…"

Before she had a chance to protest again, Akira brought his lips down to hers, his kiss causing all Ami's worries of being caught to fly right out the window.

Oh, how did he always manage to talk her into these things?

Moaning as Akira pushed her up against the bookcase, Ami's hands moved downward to unzip the fly of his jeans. Akira's lips traveled down her jaw line to her neck, and Ami raised her head to give him better access, gasping when he found the one spot between her neck and shoulder that always drove her crazy with desire. She felt his hands lightly squeeze her behind, and Ami managed to wrap her legs around his waist, allowing Akira to carry her over to the leather couch in the corner of the room which she had failed to notice when they first came in.

Without disconnecting, they fell onto the couch together, kissing passionately and taking off each other's clothes. Ami could barely breathe, but the lack of oxygen flowing to her brain just made it that much easier to forget where they were and what they were doing. The only thing that mattered was how good Akira was making her feel.

When the moment of climax came, Akira covered Ami's mouth with his own, stifling her scream of ecstasy. Whether it was the forbidden nature of the location or just pent-up sexual energy after days of being unable to be with him, Ami never had an orgasm so strong, the waves seeming to last long after they should have stopped. Completely spent, Akira collapsed on top of her, letting out a satisfied sigh as he rested his head on her chest.

"Oh, I can't believe we did that," Ami said once she had caught her breath and regained her senses.

Chuckling, Akira propped his head up to look up at her, his chin resting in the valley between her breasts. "Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked.

"I'll say… That was amazing, Akira."

"See, I told you nobody would interrupt us."

"No, they didn't, but maybe we should get dressed before somebody does," Ami pointed out, one hand already reaching down for her sweater, which was laying on the floor beside the couch. "There's no point in trying our luck."

Akira groaned in protest, but he reluctantly got off of her, gathering up his clothes and getting dressed as Ami began doing the same behind one of the stacks. No matter how long they had been sleeping together, Ami still didn't have the courage to dress in front of her lover, her modesty coming back with a vengeance the second she got out of bed, or in this case, got off the couch. Once she was clothed, Ami walked over to where Akira was struggling with the buttons of his long-sleeved shirt and took over.

"Thank you," he said, kissing the top of Ami's head.

"For what?"

"For making my fantasy come true."

Ami blushed and finished buttoning the rest of his shirt. They then headed back down to the public part of the library, where Akira returned the key to the librarian and Ami picked out a couple of books at his insistence for him to check out for her to read while they were there. Once they were done, it was nearing lunch time, so they decided to head back to the house.

"So I hear somebody was a Peeping Thomasina last night."

As they turned around the street corner, Ami stuffed her hands in the pockets of her winter coat and blushed brightly. She had hoped Satoshi would keep quiet about the little "incident" that occurred between them the night before, but it appeared she had been wrong about him.

"I take it Satoshi-san told you what happened," she said, staring down at her feet.

Akira nodded. "I practically had to beat it out of him, but, yeah, I thought you two seemed uncomfortable about something."

"You aren't mad, are you?" Ami asked, abruptly glancing back up. "I promise you it was a complete accident. If I had known you had let Satoshi-san take his bath before you, I never would have gone in."

"Well, I am a little disappointed that you found Satoshi instead of me in there," he admitted, with a naughty twinkle in his eye, "but as far as the accident? No, of course not."

Ami let out a huge sigh, relieved. "I'm glad."

"Why didn't you tell me about it, though?" he asked.

"I don't know," she confessed, shrugging her shoulders. "I probably should have, but I suppose I felt a little…guilty."

"Why? Did you like what you see?"

"Akira!" If possible, Ami's skin turned an even deeper shade of red.

He laughed. "Oh, come on, Ami, lighten up. I've seen my brother naked before. He's not half-bad to look at. I certainly wouldn't blame you if you did."

"I really didn't see much of anything, except his backside. Once he turned around and I realized he wasn't you, I closed my eyes right away while he covered himself." Remembering that mortifying moment when she realized she had walked in on the wrong brother, Ami groaned loudly. "I can just imagine what Satoshi-san thinks of me now. He probably thinks I'm a sex maniac or something. I was so embarrassed!"

"Believe me, he was just as embarrassed as you were," Akira assured her. "More so, most likely, since he was the one caught in his birthday suit."

That didn't make her feel any better. "Please, don't remind me."

"One day, you two are going to look back on this and get a big laugh out of it."

"Not any time soon."

"You'll see."

Ami didn't think so, but the humiliating incident was soon put out of her mind when she felt Akira reach for her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. It was the first time they had been able to show any sign of affection in public, and it felt rather nice, even if both their hands were covered in heavy gloves. Ami smiled shyly, and, glancing over at her handsome lover, tightened her grip on his hand.

Silently, they continued down the street, side-by-side, and admired the snow-covered scenery. Ami didn't remember a time when she felt so utterly at peace with the world.

Unfortunately, the peace was not to last for long. As they turned another corner, heading down a residential street, Akira suddenly dropped her hand as if it was a hot potato, freshly cooked over an open-fire.

"Akira, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering her, her boyfriend stopped in his tracks and stared straight ahead. Confused, Ami followed his gaze and saw that Akira was looking at an attractive twenty-something female, pulling a handful of envelopes out from a mailbox labeled "Nishimura."

One name escaped his lips.

"Maeko."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moment Akira saw her, he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

It had been roughly about a year since he had last seen Nishimura Maeko, but she was still as gorgeous as ever, even dressed down in a denim miniskirt and a fleece hoodie over a satin camisole. Her maroon hair, dyed from the purple he remembered when they broke up, was cropped short in a very modern, chic style, and he noticed that she had pierced her eyebrow, which might have appeared vulgar on anybody else's face but hers.

"Maeko-san? Your ex-fiancée?"

Ami's voice reminded him that he wasn't alone. Akira broke out of his trance and nodded. "Yeah. I didn't realize she was back in town," he said, taking Ami's elbow. It had been a mistake to go down Maeko's street. "Let's go back, Ami."

Akira started to turn around, knowing no good could come of his new girlfriend meeting his old girlfriend, but Ami refused to leave. "Akira, you can't leave now," she said. "I think she's already seen us. Do you want her to think us rude?"

She had a point. Looking over his shoulder, Akira could see that Maeko was already walking toward them, stuffing her mail in one of the pockets of her jacket with one hand as she waved the other in greeting. If they left now, it would definitely look suspicious.

"Aki-chan!"

Inwardly, Akira cringed at his Maeko's nickname for him -- he had never liked it, even when they were together -- as he turned back around and tried to act suitably surprised. "Maeko!"

"Fancy meeting you here, Aki-chan," Maeko said, smiling as she joined them. "Home for the holidays?"

"Yeah, you know Mama. She would kill me if I missed New Year's," he joked weakly. "What about you? I thought you were living in Okinawa."

"I'm back with my parents at the moment. Things didn't work out with the painter."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. Some things just weren't meant to be, you know?" she said, shrugging as she turned her attention to a quiet Ami, who she seemed to notice for the first time. "Oh, how rude of me! I'm Nishimura Maeko."

Ami bowed politely. "Nice to meet you, Nishimura-san. I'm Mizuno Ami."

"My girlfriend," Akira added, in case Maeko had not already come to that conclusion herself.

"Oh!" Apparently she hadn't from the look of surprise on her face. "I didn't realize you were seeing anyone, Aki-chan. The last time we spoke, Izumi-san said you were still single."

"You're still on friendly terms with my mother?" he asked.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that. We just happen to bump into each other occasionally at the store."

"Funny she never mentioned that…" Knowing his mother, when she found out Maeko had moved back to Nagano, she probably went out of her way to "accidentally" bump into his former girlfriend whenever she could, just to try to get them back together. He definitely wouldn't put it past Kitagawa Izumi.

"Congratulations on that breakthrough, by the way," she said. "Izumi-san told me about your paper. I know how long and hard you've worked on that research."

"Thanks, but I never would have been able to do it without Ami's help."

"Really? So, you're a scientist as well?" Maeko asked, turning her attention to Ami, who blushed at his compliment. "That's amazing."

"Actually, I'm studying to become a doctor," Ami said.

"Even more impressive. You know, it's good that you two have a common interest. Aki-chan always thought we didn't have enough in common, which I suppose was true. When it comes to science, I'm a complete dunce. I don't know how I ever managed to graduate high school with the grades I got in chemistry."

"Well, it's a tough subject, and your talents lay elsewhere," Akira said, wishing the conversation would end. He didn't know how much more of the awkwardness he could take. "You know, Maeko, Ami and I really should be heading back…"

"Oh, don't let me keep you. I probably should head back inside, anyway." Shivering, Maeko zipped up her hoodie and stuffed her ungloved hands in the pockets. "I forgot how cold it gets in Nagano this time of year. Back in Okinawa, you can wear skirts and short sleeves practically all year long. I guess I really ought to go shopping for some winter clothes."

"Maybe."

"Anyway, it was really nice to meet you, Mizuno-san. I'll see you two at the party. Bye!"

Akira nodded. "Yeah, we'll see you -- wait, you're coming to the party? My parents' annual New Year's Eve party?" he asked, his eyes widening when he realized what she had just said.

"Yeah, Izumi-san gave me an invitation weeks ago. Didn't she mention that?"

 _No, she didn't_ , Akira thought to himself with an inward sigh. Really, what in the world was his mother thinking, inviting his ex-fiancée to the New Year's bash? "I guess it must have slipped her mind," he said, trying not to look too affected by the news.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Maeko asked. "I mean, I'll understand if you don't want me to attend, but my parents are planning to go…"

"It's fine, Nishimura-san," Ami assured her before Akira had the chance to answer. "There's no reason why you shouldn't come to the party if Kitagawa-san invited you, right, Akira?"

Akira had no choice but to nod his agreement.

"Great. I'll see you guys there, then."

With a wave goodbye, Maeko turned and headed back to her parents' house, Akira letting out a loud sigh of relief once he saw her open the door and step inside. Things hadn't gone as badly as he feared they might, but he couldn't believe what his mother had done. He would have to talk to her some time before the party. Maybe he could somehow convince his mother to uninvite the Nishimuras.

"Sorry about that, Ami," Akira apologized as the two of them continued their walk. "Believe me, if I had known Maeko had moved back in with her parents, I never would have suggested that we take this street."

Ami shook her head. "It's fine, Akira. Nishimura-san seemed really nice."

"She is, but I know that must have been awkward for you, meeting my ex."

"Actually, I got the feeling that it was far more awkward for you than it was for me," Ami teased, grabbing his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. "The entire time we talked, you looked as if you were going to bolt at any second. It was really rather amusing to watch."

"I did no-- Okay, I admit the thought did cross my mind a couple of times," he admitted.

"Why, though? Were you afraid Nishimura-san would spill some deep, dark secret about you that you didn't want me to find out about?"

Akira shrugged. He actually didn't understand why he had felt that way himself. "It's a guy thing, I suppose. I mean, when we broke our engagement, the split was amicable, but you never can tell what an ex will say when faced with proof that you have moved on. Anybody would be nervous."

"I guess so," she said. "Do you ever think about her?"

"Maeko?"

"No, I mean Shimizu-san, the librarian," Ami said with a slight roll of her eyes. "Of course I'm asking about Nishimura-san."

"No, not really."

"Are you just saying that because you think I'll be angry with you if you say yes? Because if you do, you don't have to lie about it. You two were going to share a life together, after all. I'll understand."

"Ami, look at me." Akira stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and took his girlfriend by the arms, turning her toward him. "Maeko is my past. I won't lie and say I never think about her, because I do, sometimes, but not in the way you think. You, however, are my present and my future, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Ami smiled. "Good."

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Later that night, Ami sat on Junko's bed, the small stack of library books Akira had checked out for her sitting on the nightstand beside her and a biography of Marie Curie open in her hand. She had been reading for over an hour, but, though the book was far more interesting than her previous lackluster reading material, Ami again found herself unable to concentrate.

After somehow managing to finish the third chapter, Ami placed a bookmark between the two pages marking her spot and set the book aside. Her thoughts then turned to the young woman they had met on their way home: Nishimura Maeko, Akira's former fiancée.

Akira never spoke of her much, even when Ami asked him about her. All Ami had known about Maeko before the meeting was that she was an aspiring author and that she was living with a painter, which evidently wasn't the case any more based on what Maeko had said about things not working out between her and her boyfriend.

Ami had to admit that Maeko was nothing like she had imagined Akira's ex-fiancée to be like. She had pictured somebody more like herself, someone quiet and conservative -- not a maroon-haired sexpot with an eyebrow piercing (and who knew what else) and legs that seemed to go on for miles.

Climbing out of bed, Ami walked over to Junko's vanity and took a seat in front of the mirror as she began running a brush through her hair. A frown crossed her lips when she looked up at her reflection.

It was silly of her, of course, but Ami couldn't help but compare herself to the vivacious young woman she had met earlier that day. Would Akira prefer it if she looked and dressed a little more like Maeko?

The instant Ami tried to imagine herself with a half-dozen piercings in each ear, however, she started to giggle at the absurdity of the idea. Imagine what her friends would think if she walked into Crown like that! They'd probably think she had been possessed by a new enemy. Not to mention her poor mother would probably die of a heart attack...

"Hey, what's so funny, Ami-onee-chan?"

"Oh, nothing." Her giggles subsiding, Ami set down the brush and turned around to see Junko, her cheeks colored a rosy pink after spending most of the day ice skating at the lake, standing in the doorway. "I was just imagining something," she said, brushing it off. "You look like you had fun today, Junko-chan."

Coming inside, Junko spun around happily. "Oh, Ami-onee-chan, I had the most wonderful time," she squealed, tossing her skates in the closet. "Guess what? I only fell down three times today. Ikeda-kun says I'm really improving."

"That's great! I'm very happy for you."

"You know, you and onii-chan should go skating at least once before you leave," the teen advised. "It's so romantic with all the snow, and it gives you a great excuse to hang all over your guy in public without the elders giving you dirty looks." Plopping down on the bed, Junko placed Ami's forgotten Curie biography on top of the stack of books on the nightstand. "Speaking of onii-chan, how was the library? I see you managed to find some books."

Ami felt her cheeks grow hot, remembering what had happened in the rare books room. "It was…nice."

"Ami-onee-chan, you're turning all red!"

"I-I am?" She turned around to see her reflection was indeed more than a little flushed, which only made Ami feel even more embarrassed.

"What did you two do that's got you so flustered?" Junko asked, her left eyebrow raised in suspicion. "On second thought, I don't think I really want to know."

Relieved that Junko hadn't pressed her for more details, Ami joined the teen back on the bed. "We ran into an old friend of Akira's on our way back to the house," she said casually in an attempt to change the subject.

"Oh? Who? Maybe I remember them."

Ami paused for a moment before replying, "Nishimura-san."

"Nishimura Maeko-san?" Blue eyes widened in shock as Ami nodded. "Onii-chan's former fiancée? Boy, that had to be awkward."

"A little, I guess." Pulling her knees to her chest, Ami once again frowned as she thought about Maeko. "Hey, Junko-chan, what was she like?" she asked before she even realized the words were out of her mouth. "Nishimura-san?"

Junko seemed as surprised as she was about the question. "You want to know about my brother's ex-girlfriend?" When Ami nodded, the blonde leaned back against the wall behind her bed and folded her arms across her chest. "Well, even though onii-chan dated her for about two years, I never really got the chance to know her that well," Junko confessed. "She was quite a bit older than me, so she hung out more with Satoshi, who was closer to her in age and shared her love of books." Leaning over, she whispered, "To be honest, I always thought that Satoshi had a bit of a crush on her, but you didn't hear that from me, okay? He would probably kill me if he knew I told you something like that."

"Really?" It was difficult to imagine quiet, shy Satoshi being attracted to somebody like Maeko.

"Maeko-onee-chan was pretty cool, though," the teen continued. "She was always streaking her hair these wild colors, and she had a really pretty fairy tattoo on the small of her back." Pausing, Junko let out a small giggle. "You should have seen Mama's face when I told her I wanted to get one just like it. Mama didn't really care that Maeko-onee-chan had one, but she told me if I ever thought about doing something like that, she would kick me out of the house so fast, the ink wouldn't even have a chance to dry."

"Akira told me she was a writer?" Ami prodded, trying to get the teen back on topic.

Junko nodded. "She was really into fantasy novels, _Lord of the Rings_ and the like. She let me read a couple of her short stories once, and they were really good. I think she even has a few published in magazines."

"Nishimura-san doesn't seem like the type of person Akira would fall for. I can't imagine they would have a lot in common."

Shrugging, Junko slid off the bed and started toward her dresser. "Like the saying goes, opposites attract, but I guess they realized they were a little too different in the end," she said, pulling out a pair of pajamas from one of the drawers. "If it makes you feel any better, Ami-onee-chan, I think you're much more suited to onii-chan. Maeko-onee-chan was nice enough, but I never really got the sense that they were in love, even though they were engaged to be married."

"Really?"

"I see the way onii-chan looks at you. I never saw him looking that way at Maeko-onee-chan."

"Thanks, Junko-chan," Ami said, suddenly feeling much better.

"For what?"

Smiling, Ami shook her head. "Never mind. It was nothing."

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The next morning was the beginning of the New Year's preparations. Mama had the whole household, save for Papa, who was at work, on cleaning duty, and Akira and Ami had spent the entire morning up in the attic, dusting and going through old boxes.

"I can't believe Mama is making you clean even though you're a guest," Akira grumbled as he pushed a large chest back up against the wall where they had found it.

Ami, who was sitting on the floor, going through a box of old baby clothes, shook her head. "She's not making me; I volunteered to help," she reminded him. "Besides, it's fun going through all this stuff and learning more about your family. See, look at this." She held up a tiny navy-and-white sailor suit with matching hat. "Was this yours? I bet you looked adorable wearing it!"

"Actually, I think that was Satoshi's," he corrected, "but whatever you do, don't go showing that to Mama. I'm sure she's been saving that for the day I finally give her that grandchild she's been dying for." Stretching out his arms, which were slightly sore after having to do so much heavy lifting, Akira decided it was about time for a break. "I'm going to head downstairs and get something to drink. Do you want anything while I'm down there?"

"Some bottled water sounds great."

"One water, coming right up."

Akira headed down to the kitchen, stopping himself just in time when he opened the door and found Mama on her hands and knees, scrubbing the tiled floors the old-fashioned way.

"Wait, don't come in-- Oh, good, you stopped," Mama said, looking up from the floor and tossing her sponge back in the pail of water beside her. "What are you doing down here, Akira? Don't tell me you and Ami-chan are finished with the attic already."

"No, we're still working. I just came down to get us some drinks."

"Oh, dear…" Mama looked around at the wet floors. There didn't seem to be any possible way for either of them to reach the refrigerator without dirtying them again. "Well, maybe you should go out to the garage," she suggested. "Your father always keeps some beer in there, and there should be some boxes of soda for the party if Ami-chan doesn't drink."

"I guess that will have to do." Akira was just about to leave when the mention of the New Year's party reminded him about something he meant to ask his mother. "Hey, Mama, about the party…"

"What about it, dear?" she asked.

"Well, Ami and I ran into Maeko yesterday on our way back from the library, and she mentioned you had invited her."

"Oh, I did, didn't I? I nearly forgot about that."

"Yes, you did," he said, frowning. "The thing is, I need you to uninvite her."

"What? Akira, I'm not going to take back my invitation," she declared.

"Why not?"

"Because it's only a couple more days until New Year's Eve. It would be rude," Mama replied. "Besides, I invited her parents as well, and you know the Nishimuras are dear friends of ours. I couldn't possibly tell them their daughter is unwelcome."

Akira sighed. "But, Mama, Ami's going to be there."

"Does Ami-chan have a problem with Maeko-chan? Did they get into a fight when you two ran into her?"

"No, not exactly, but think about it. If one of Papa's old girlfriends showed up at the party, would you be happy about it?"

"You have a point," she admitted. "However, I'm still not going to uninvite Maeko-chan to the party. I'm sorry, Akira. If I had known you and Ami-chan were dating at the time I invited her, I wouldn't have done so, but I was under the impression you were still single."

Leaning against the door frame, Akira crossed his arms and shook his head. He should have known. "So the party was going to be some kind of set-up to get Maeko and me back together?"

"Oh, 'set-up' is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as giving you two the opportunity to reignite your love."

"Mama, you really are impossible sometimes," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"What else is a mother supposed to do when her son is nearing thirty and still doesn't have a wife? Or even a girlfriend for that matter?"

"I _have_ a girlfriend."

"Yes, but you didn't tell me that until a couple of weeks ago," she reminded him, wagging her finger. "Speaking of which, why did it take you so long to tell us about Ami-chan? How long did you say you've been dating? Since September?"

"I didn't want to get your hopes up until I knew we were serious."

"And how serious are you two?"

Akira laughed. "We're not getting married anytime soon, if that's what you're asking -- and I know you are," he said, knowing his mother all too well. "We've only been seeing each other for a few months, and Ami's still in school. It's too early to be thinking about things like that."

"But maybe you'll get married someday?" she pressed hopefully.

Thinking about having Ami as his wife, Akira smiled. That didn't sound like such a bad idea at all, even though it would probably be a long time before that was possible. "Maybe. Someday."

"That's a good boy," Mama said before resuming her cleaning. "Anyway, if you're that concerned about Maeko-chan coming to the party, then why don't you talk to her yourself and convince her not to come? I'm sure she would understand if you explain the circumstances."

"No, never mind," he said with a defeated sigh. "I'm sure it won't be that bad. We'll just try to keep our distance."


	12. Chapter 12

The last day of the year also happened to be one of the coldest days of the year. Mama had hoped the weather would be mild enough that they could expand the party outside to the backyard, but because it was freezing and snowing heavily, everybody wisely stayed inside where it was warm and toasty.

That was just fine by Akira, since the crowd inside the house made it easier to hide from Maeko. He had been avoiding his former fiancée the entire night, making sure to stay close to Ami at all times as if to say, "She's mine." So far, his plan seemed to be working, as Maeko seemed reluctant to come up to him when Ami was around, and the few times she managed to catch him alone, Akira would immediately strike up a conversation with somebody else and pretend he hadn't seen her.

"You know you can't possibly ignore Nishimura-san the entire night," Ami said when Akira whisked her onto the makeshift dance floor, having spotted Maeko coming toward him

"I can certainly try," he replied, moving his arms robotically to the beat of the music. "I still can't believe Mama invited her to the party. No, actually, I can. That's classic Kitagawa Izumi, nothing new. What I can't believe is you telling Maeko to come anyway when she gave us the perfect out to uninvite her."

"And I can't believe you're doing the Robot," Ami giggled.

"Hey, don't mock the Robot. This was the epitome of cool back in the day."

"In what universe?"

Akira rolled his eyes at his younger girlfriend's ignorance of 80s dance moves, catching a brief glance of Maeko heading toward the sliding glass doors leading to the back porch. It appeared she had finally ceased her attempts to talk to him, but, instead of feeling relieved, Akira couldn't help but be concerned. He stopped his robotic movements and lightly touched Ami's arm.

"Hey, I'll be right back."

"What is it?" she asked, confused. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. Just stay here. I shouldn't be long."

Leaving Ami on the dance floor, Akira grabbed his coat from the closet and headed outside, where he found Maeko sitting on the edge of the porch, shivering as she rubbed her bare arms in a hopeless attempt to keep warm. Akira resisted the urge to roll his eyes and came up behind her, placing his coat on her shoulders.

"You know, you really ought to get that winter wardrobe. It's below freezing, and yet here you are, sitting out in the cold and snow while dressed in spaghetti straps. That's a good way to get hypothermia."

Startled, Maeko craned her neck upwards. "Oh, Aki-chan, it's you," she said, pushing her arms through the sleeves of his coat. "Thank you. I would have brought mine, but Junko-chan and some boy were making out in the room where all the guests' coats are, and I didn't have the heart to disturb them."

"Junko was doing what?!" Akira exclaimed, his head whipping back toward the party inside as if he expected to catch the two in the act. He had half a mind to go back in there and pull them apart, but Maeko's giggles stopped him from acting on his impulse.

"I see you're still the same over-protective brother I remember. Let the kids have their fun, though. All they were doing was kissing."

"Well, if that's all they were doing…" Reluctantly, Akira sat down beside his former fiancée on the porch's edge and tried to ignore the cold that permeated through his thick black sweater. "So, what are you doing out here?" he asked. "Surely, you didn't come to watch the snow. I remember you were never one for Nagano winters. You always preferred hot summer days."

"No, I guess I wasn't," she admitted with a sigh, her breath easily visible in the frosty air. "I'm not much in a partying mood tonight, I suppose."

"Oh."

"You didn't want me to come tonight, did you?"

Trying to conceal the guilty look Akira knew that had crossed his face, he pretended to be overly interested in the snow pouring down in front of them. "What makes you say that?"

"You've been ignoring me the entire night."

"I have not--"

"Aki-chan, don't lie to me," Maeko said. "You didn't want me here, and I can't say I really blame you. I must have put you in an awkward position the other day."

"No, not really. I confess I was a bit unnerved to see you again after all this time, but Ami thought you were very nice."

Maeko smiled. "I liked her, too. You two suit each other, much more than we ever did. Still…"

Her voice trailed off.

"Maeko, what's wrong?" Akira asked, turning his full attention back to her. Her smile had disappeared, and he noticed for the first time how incredibly sad her eyes were.

"I don't know," she said after a long pause. "Ever since I ran into you and Mizuno-san that day, I feel like I've been taking a walk down Memory Lane."

"Back to the time when we were together?"

"We had a lot of great times together, Aki-chan."

"We also had a lot of arguments," he reminded her.

"You didn't seem to mind the making up part, though."

Akira allowed a small smile at the memory of their post-argument activities. "We were pretty good at that, weren't we?"

"The best," she agreed, sharing his smile before hopping off the porch and onto the blanket of pure white snow that covered the ground. "Do you ever wonder what it might have been like if we went through with the wedding?" she asked unexpectedly.

Though the question took him by surprise, Akira didn't have to think twice before giving her his answer. "No."

"Oh, I see."

Sensing he had hurt her feelings, Akira came up beside her. "Maeko, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's just that I knew we made the right decision when we decided to call off our engagement. If we had gone through with it, we'd probably be divorced by now."

"You're probably right," she admitted. "I suppose I'm just a little jealous seeing how happy you and Mizuno-san are together when my personal life is such a mess."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out with you and that guy."

"Yeah, well, it was pretty much doomed from the beginning anyway," she said bitterly, stuffing her hands in the pockets of his coat. "I knew Kiyoshi had a reputation for being a skirt-chaser, but I chose to ignore it, thinking maybe I could be the one to make him change. Boy, was I ever wrong."

"So he cheated on you?"

"Several times, actually." She chuckled dryly. "I have no idea why I stayed after his first indiscretion. I guess I was just a fool in love."

"You're better off without him, Maeko," Akira declared honestly. "He didn't deserve your love."

"Then why does it still hurt so much? Why can't I stop thinking about Kiyoshi?"

Akira, unable to stop himself, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in a comforting hug. Even though they weren't together anymore, he hated seeing Maeko in so much pain. She wasn't crying, but she was close, evident by the slight shake in her voice as she tried to hold back her tears.

"You really are too kind to me, Aki-chan. Thank you."

They stayed like that for a long moment until Akira finally pulled away. "Are you okay? Do you want to go back to the party, or would you like me to walk you home?"

Maeko nodded, wiping away the few tears that had managed to run down her cheek. "I'll be fine."

"Come on, let's go back inside before we freeze to death out here."

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Back inside, Ami was talking with Junko and her boyfriend, although, to be truthful, she was only half-listening to the conversation. They were telling her something about being caught making-out by Mr. Kitagawa -- or was it Mrs. Kitagawa? -- in the coat room, but Ami's attention was really focused on the antique grandfather clock standing in the corner of the room. Ten minutes had passed since Akira inexplicably left her on the dance floor, yet he had yet to return. Where could he be?

Junko, noticing her distraction, waved a hand in front of Ami's face. "Ami-onee-chan? Earth to Ami-onee-chan?"

"Oh, Junko-chan!" Ami shook her head. "Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. Were you saying something?"

"I was asking if you and onii-chan wanted to go kite-flying with us the day after tomorrow, assuming that Papa doesn't decide to ground me for catching Ikeda-kun and me making-out."

"I don't think we'll have time," Ami said. "Akira and I are planning to head back to Tokyo on the second. We'll probably be leaving fairly early in the morning."

"So soon?" She pouted. "But it seems like you just got here."

"I know, but we'd like to spend some of the New Year's celebration with our Tokyo friends as well. Besides, school starts back up on the fifth."

"Yeah, that's when we start back up again, too," Junko said, making a face at the thought. "Well, I hope you and onii-chan come back soon. Maybe during the spring break?"

"We'll see. I'll ask him about it," Ami promised, scanning the room once again for her boyfriend. Again, he was nowhere in sight. "Speaking of Akira, I'm going to go find him. He should have been back by now."

Excusing herself, Ami started searching the rest of the downstairs rooms where the party was being held. She didn't think Akira would have gone to bed without telling her, but she couldn't find him anywhere. Confused, Ami was about to go look upstairs anyway when she finally caught a sight of him coming out of the kitchen with a tray of appetizers in his hands.

"Aki--"

Ami stopped herself just in time, realizing when the man turned around that she had again mistaken Satoshi for his brother. ( _Those two really do look like twins from behind_ , Ami thought.) Though the embarrassment of what had happened between them was still fresh, she decided to ask Satoshi if he knew where Akira was.

"Satoshi-san, have you seen Akira around?"

Satoshi, careful not to look Ami in the eye, placed the tray of appetizers on the refreshment table. "Not recently," he said. "The last time I saw him, he was going outside."

"Outside? In this weather?"

"I think he wanted to talk to Nishimura-san about something. I saw her go out a couple of minutes before him."

"Oh. Thank you."

Akira went outside to talk to Nishimura-san? Considering how much effort he put into avoiding his ex-fiancée beforehand, Nishimura Maeko was the last person Ami expected Akira to be having a conversation with, but she decided she would give him a few minutes before interrupting. As Satoshi headed back to the kitchen, Ami took a couple of the appetizers from the tray he had brought out, then walked over to a window looking out onto the backyard.

Ami had never considered herself a nosy person -- at least not when it concerned other people's personal lives -- but she couldn't resist pulling back the drapes on the window. She regretted it as soon as she looked outside.

In the snow, Akira and Miss Nishimura were wrapped together in an intimate embrace.

Gasping, Ami immediately dropped the curtain and turned around, almost running straight into Junko, who had come over to talk to her.

"Ami-onee-chan, are you alright?" the teen asked. "You're looking a little pale."

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just have a little headache, that's all. I think I'm going to call it a night."

"Already? But the bells haven't rung yet."

"I'll see you in the morning, Junko-chan."

Before Junko or anybody else could ask anything more, Ami threw her uneaten refreshments away in a nearby trash can and ran up to Junko's room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Akira and Maeko returned to the party, the first thing he did was look for Ami. His conversation with Maeko had taken far longer than he expected, and he was unsurprised when he couldn't find Ami in the living room, assuming she had gone to look for him when he failed to return in a timely manner. He did find, however, Junko and her boyfriend kissing underneath the staircase, apparently having been thrown out of the coat room.

With a roll of his eyes, Akira walked over to the hormonal teens and tapped his sister on the shoulder.

"Onii-chan! Do you mind?" Junko exclaimed, glaring when the two broke apart and she turned around.

Akira ignored her outburst. "Have you two seen Ami? I can't seem to find her anywhere."

"Oh, Ami-onee-chan went up to bed."

"She did?" He glanced down at his watch, which read ten minutes to twelve, and frowned. "But it's not even midnight yet."

Junko shrugged. "She said she had a headache."

"Thanks. I better go check on her." Akira started to leave, but when he saw Junko and her boyfriend about to resume their make-out session, he pulled them apart and dragged them back out from underneath the staircase. "You two, mingle. This is a party, not Make-out Central."

"Onii-chan!"

Again, he ignored her and headed up the stairs. Reaching the room Ami was sharing with Junko, Akira lightly knocked, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep, and whispered loudly, "Ami, it's me. Junko told me you had a headache. Do you need some aspirin?"

She didn't answer, which Akira took to mean that she was in fact already sleeping, but still, he opened the door, thinking he would at least give her a kiss on the cheek. It was nearing midnight, after all. Quietly, he entered the room and found it dark, though thanks to the light of a nearby street lamp coming through the window, he could see Ami laying face down on Junko's bed.

As Akira approached closer, he began to notice a faint weeping sound. At first, he thought his ears were playing tricks on him, but then he realized the sound was coming from Ami, who was not sleeping as he originally thought. No longer caring if he made any noise, Akira quickly made his way to the bed and kneeled down beside it, his hand lightly stroking her hair in comfort.

"Ami, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk to your right now, Akira," she muttered, rolling over on her side so that her back was turned to him. "Just go away."

"But why?" Akira asked, confused. "I don't understand. Did I do something wrong? I know I kept you waiting at the party, but I --

"I saw you," Ami interrupted, her voice so soft, he could barely here her.

"What? Ami, I don't know what you're talking about. What did you see me do?" Even as he asked the question, Akira frantically tried to come up with the answer himself, trying to remember what he might have done to upset Ami. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind.

It was a long moment before Ami finally gave a response, and even then, it was vague.

"I saw you outside."

"Yes, I went outside to talk to Maeko, but you were the one who told me I couldn't avoid talking to her the entire night. I don't understand why you're so up--" Suddenly, Akira paused, remembering what must have happened, and sighed. "Oh, you saw us hugging."

"That wasn't just a hug; it was a full-blown embrace."

"Ami, you're blowing this way out of proportion."

"Am I?" Ami rolled back over to face him, staring him straight in the eye. It was the first time he had clearly seen her face since he came in the room, and Akira nearly flinched when at the sight of her blotchy skin and red eyes. "You two looked awfully intimate together."

"Listen to me." Getting back up, Akira joined Ami on the bed, pulling her so that she was sitting upright and facing him. Ami tried to turn away, but he firmly, but gently, held her by the shoulders so she couldn't, and said, "What you saw was completely innocent. Maeko was upset about something, so I comforted her. It was nothing romantic or sexual. That's all that happened, I swear."

"That's all?"

He nodded. "Ami, remember what I said Christmas Eve?" he asked. "You know I love you and only you. Maeko's my past. You're the one I want, and I have no intention of ever messing that up. You have to know that."

"I know," she said, exhaling. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I guess I wasn't as okay with the whole ex-fiancée thing as I thought I was. You probably think I'm some kind of jealous maniac now."

Wiping away some of her tears with his thumb, Akira smiled. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little jealousy now and then. It makes a man feel loved."

"You didn't seem too jealous when I walked in on Satoshi-san in the shower."

"Me? Jealous of Satoshi?" he laughed. "If anything, he should be jealous of _me_. Not only do I have you for a girlfriend, I'm smarter and better-looking than he is, too."

That, more than anything, seemed to break the tension between them. Ami rolled her eyes and giggled. "You really shouldn't be so modest, Akira," she said, glancing over at Junko's _Hello Kitty_ alarm clock. "Oh, it's almost midnight. Open the window so we can hear the bells."

Doing as he was told, Akira went over to the lone window in the room and opened it just as the bells of a nearby Buddhist temple began the traditional 108 chimes to ring in the new year. Akira sat back down on the bed beside Ami, and together they listened silently until the final bell had rung. When it was over, Akira then gave Ami a long, lingering kiss, lowering her back down on the bed.

"Shouldn't we go back down to the party?" Ami asked, though she was doing little to fight off his advances.

"Nah. Everybody's probably leaving anyway."

"But Junko-chan -- "

"Junko always stays up to watch the first sunrise of the year," he said, going over to the door to lock the door just in case. "She won't be coming up here anytime soon."

"Well, in that case…"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day was New Year's, and, as was tradition, the Kitagawa family was heading to their local shrine for the first visit of the year. Upstairs, Ami and Junko dressed in their finest kimono for the event.

"Oh, Ami-onee-chan, that kimono is gorgeous!" Junko gushed as Ami finished tying the obi around her waist. "It must have cost a fortune!"

Ami blushed at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing down the silken fabric. It really was a beautiful kimono, with light blue flowers and silver leaves embroidered onto a navy background. The hues complimented her coloring perfectly, and the stitching was impeccable.

"Actually, one of my friends back home made it for me. She's a fantastic seamstress," Ami admitted, smiling as she thought of Makoto. It was a shame she wouldn't get to see her wearing it after she had gone through so much trouble to make it. Ami made a mental note reminding herself to model it for Makoto when she returned home.

"Wow! I wish I was that talented!"

"Yours is very pretty, too, Junko-chan," Ami said truthfully. Akira's little sister wore a less elaborate red kimono with pink sakura petals, but it suited the teenager nicely, especially with Junko's golden blonde hair, which she had up in a French braid. "I love those colors on you."

"Really?" Junko went over to the mirror and struck a model-like pose. "You really think so?"

Ami nodded. "I do."

"Junko! Ami-chan! Time to go!" the booming voice of Kitagawa Izumi shouted from downstairs. "Everybody else is dressed and ready to leave."

After spending a week at their house, Ami had grown accustomed to "Izumi-mama's" patented "stair yell," as her children liked to call it. She barely flinched that time, placing her digital camera into her matching satchel before heading to the door. "We'd better go, then. I don't want to keep your family waiting. Are you ready?"

"Just one more thing," Junko said, holding up a finger. She ran over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of pretty blue topaz hair clips, which she then held out to Ami. "Please, wear these."

"N-No, I couldn't," Ami stuttered, surprised by the offer. "They're yours. You should wear them, Junko-chan."

"They don't match my kimono, but they go perfectly with yours," she pointed out, walking over to where Ami stood and placing the barrettes in her hand. "Please, Ami-onee-chan? I won't take no for an answer."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Ami turned back toward the mirror and put the barrettes in her hair. She had to admit Junko was right, though. The hair clips were a great accessory to her kimono, bringing out the light blue of the flowers. "Thanks, Junko-chan. I'll take good care of them."

"You're welcome. Now, come on. Let's go before Mama does another 'stair yell.'"

Laughing, they headed downstairs where the rest of the family was already waiting, garbed in their finest clothes. Ami smiled when she looked down and saw Akira pulling on a coat over his best three-piece suit. He looked especially handsome that morning with his usually unruly hair slicked back and a fresh-shaven face. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Ami and Junko both bowed and said "Happy New Year," in unison, a greeting the rest of the family returned.

"Wow, you look amazing, Ami," Akira whispered as she made her way to her lover, who discreetly gave her a peck on the cheek while the others were busy changing into their shoes at the door.

Ami blushed. "You don't look too bad yourself," she said, the back of her hand briefly caressing his smooth cheek. "I'm glad to see you're shaving again." Over the holidays, Akira had grown somewhat lax when it came to shaving, but, as sexy as she had found his stubble, Ami preferred her boyfriend clean-shaven.

"You didn't like Scruffy Akira? Damn, and here I was thinking about growing a beard."

"You were not," she giggled.

"No, I wasn't, but I could have been. Maybe a goatee, then? Or a mustache? You know, one of those old-fashioned handle-bar mustaches? I would look rather dashing with one of those, don't you think?"

"Akira!"

"Okay, enough, you two lovebirds," Izumi said, smiling as Ami and Akira broke apart. Apparently, they hadn't been as discreet as they thought. "It's time to go. I want to get to the shrine before it gets too crowded."

"Yes, Mama."

Ami and Akira were the last ones out of the house, dawdling behind the others as the family began walking down the sidewalk toward the shrine.

They weren't the only family heading to the shrine. Looking around, Ami judged that at least half the families on the street were heading in the same direction they were, the women dressed in festive kimonos or beautiful dresses while the men mostly wore suits, although she did see a couple of older gentlemen dressed in kimonos as well. Occasionally, Izumi or one of the others would stop to give out New Year's greetings to one of their neighbors, though, more often than not, it would turn into a full-fledged conversation.

Ami let out a sigh the sixth time they stopped so that Izumi and another housewife could commiserate over how bad their year-end cleaning was while Nibori and the woman's husband talked stocks. The couple's daughter turned out to be a classmate of Junko's, so the girls struck up their own conversation, the neighbor girl managing to drag an uncomfortable-looking Satoshi, who she obviously had a crush on, into their discussion as well.

"That's my mother for you," Akira said with a chuckle, misinterpreting the meaning behind her sigh. "Every year, Mama insists we leave early to miss the crowds at Tsukimine, yet she's the one who always manages to drag us behind. One year, we left at seven in the morning and arrived at the shrine a little before ten. No lie."

"It's not that," Ami replied, shaking her head. "I was feeling a bit homesick, that's all. Mako-chan and the others are probably heading to Hikawa right about now."

"Hikawa?"

"It's the shrine where Rei-chan lives with her grandfather. I'm sure I must have mentioned it before."

"Oh, yes, the priestess," he said. "Did you send your friends greeting cards?"

Ami nodded. "I hope everybody got theirs today."

"I'm sure they did, and I know they're thinking about you as well."

Ami smiled, feeling a little bit better. Still, she would probably call Makoto later that night, as well as her mother, who should have returned home from her conference a couple of days ago. It would be good to hear their voices again, even if they would be heading back to Tokyo on the second.

"So, how much longer to the shrine?" she asked. By that time, everybody had wrapped up their respective conversations, and they were once again resuming their walk.

"It's not much farther." Akira pointed to a spot about half a mile away, where people were gathering in front of the shrine's red torii. "See? There it is, the Tsukimine shrine."

"It's crowded," Ami remarked, impressed by the number. Hikawa never had as much business, not even on the first of the year.

"It's like this every year. This shrine is really popular."

The closer they came to the shrine, the more Ami realized Akira wasn't kidding. The grounds of Tsukimine were filled with people, so much so that it was hard to walk without getting separated from the others. Akira grabbed Ami's hand as they made their way toward the haiden, and she blushed, though nobody paid attention to them.

When they finally reached the haiden, a family had just finished their prayers and was leaving, which luckily meant they didn't have to wait for their turn. Ami joined the rest of the Kitagawas in front of the bell and clapped her hands together twice to call the attention of the gods before beginning her prayers.

She had put a lot of thought into what she would pray for in the new year. Normally, her first prayer of the year asked for good grades and the protection of her friends in any upcoming battles, but, this year, she only had one fervent wish:

_Please let Akira and me be together, now and always._

Once she was finished, Ami looked over to her right, expecting to see her lover standing right beside her. However, she was surprised to see that Akira was actually over by one of the shrine's many trees, his back against the trunk and his arms crossed over his chest.

"You finished?" he asked, noticing her looking over at him.

Ami nodded, putting a couple of coins in the offering box. "Did you already say your prayers, Akira?"

"Onii-chan doesn't believe in the existence of the Shinto gods," Junko, who was standing to Ami's left, answered for him. "That's why he never participates."

"Oh. Well, you could still make a wish, Akira. I'm not a big believer myself in Shinto, but it's fun to go through the traditional rituals, especially on New Year's."

He shook his head. "That's okay. I'd rather not indulge in superstition and whatnot. I just come because it makes Mama happy."

"Fuddy-duddy," Junko said, rolling her eyes. She then leaned over, whispering in Ami's ear, "You know, onii-chan stopped believing in Santa Claus when he was four years old."

"Really?" He had never told Ami that.

The teen nodded. "Mama and Papa still gave him gifts, though, which I think was totally unfair. The year I stopped believing in him, I didn't get anything special at all."

"Junko, what are you telling her?" Akira demanded to know, walking back over. "You better not be making up stories about me."

"Would I do something like that, onii-chan?"

"In a heartbeat."

Junko stuck out her tongue, and Ami hid a smile. Akira and his sister reminded her so much of Usagi and her younger brother Shingo sometimes. "Well, anyway, I'm going to go buy a good luck charm from the booth," Junko announced, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. "Ami-onee-chan, want to come?"

Ami patted her satchel, which held the camera she had packed earlier. "Actually, I wanted to take some pictures of the shrine to show my roommate back home. You go on ahead, Junko-chan."

"Oh, I see…" Junko gave Ami a knowing wink. "I can take a hint. See you two later. Bye!"

Watching his sister run off to join the back of one of the endlessly long lines, Akira sighed. "That girl…" he muttered good-naturedly before turning his attention back to Ami. "So, you wanted to take some pictures? I know of a great place."

He led Ami to a picturesque koi pond near the back of the grounds, which, fortunately, was not too crowded. Only a couple of young boys, their best suits wet and covered with grass stains, were laying along the bank, watching the fish in the pond swim through the water. A wooden bridge, worn with age but fairly sturdy, went over the small pond, and there were snow-covered trees all around, still beautiful despite their lack of foliage.

"It's perfect," Ami said, digging the digital camera out of her satchel and handing it over to Akira. "Would you mind taking a few pictures?"

"Sure. Go get on the bridge."

Ami walked over to the bridge, situating herself near the middle. Akira had moved to a spot behind the boys to get a better position, so she placed her hands on the right rail facing in their direction, giggling when one of the kids tried unsuccessfully to grab one of the fish swimming by and nearly fell in the water. A bright flash of light caught her by surprise.

"Hey, I wasn't ready yet," she exclaimed, looking up to see Akira shrug.

"What can I say? I like to capture beauty whenever it happens," he said. To prove it, he brought the camera back up to his face and snapped another picture, that time of Ami glaring at him. "Beautiful."

"Akira! Erase that!" she squealed, hiding her face behind her hands. Ami didn't mind posing for pictures, but she hated how she looked in candid photos. Usagi still had an awful photograph of her eating a hamburger that the blonde liked to show off at every opportunity.

"No way! I'm going to get that one blown up. Do you know how sexy you are when you're mad?"

"Akira!"

"Fine, we'll do it your way," he relented with a sigh, "but I'm still keeping that photo."

Akira took five more posed photographs of her, then they handed the camera over to the older of the boys so that they could take a couple of pictures together. The boy's photos didn't come out as well as the first ones, with Akira's head cut off in most of them, but there was one that came out rather decently, if a bit off-center. Ami made sure to save it, hoping she remembered to print it out and delete it before she showed Makoto. She'd been wanting a photograph of her and Akira together for a long time, although she knew she wouldn't be able to display it anywhere her roommate or friends might see it.

"What do you want to do now?" Akira asked while Ami put the camera away. "Looks like everybody's still busy, so we have time to kill before heading back to the house."

"We could always go buy a fortune at the booth," she suggested, none too surprised when Akira vetoed the idea. He really didn't like things like fortunes and good luck charms, did he? No wonder he always gave her his fortune cookie whenever they ordered Chinese.

"Let's just stay here," he said, taking a seat on the bridge with his legs dangling so that they nearly, but not quite, touched the surface of the water. The boys had been dragged away from the pond by their irate mother soon after they finished taken the pictures, so they had the whole area to themselves.

Ami had no objections, enjoying the peace and tranquility. Leaning against the rail, she looked down into the pond and sighed.

"Is it true that you stopped believing in Santa when you were four?" Ami asked, Junko's revelation from earlier returning to her mind.

Akira craned his head upwards. "Is that what you two were whispering about back there?" he guessed, more amused than angry when she nodded. "Yes, it's true. Guilty as charged."

"That's pretty young."

"Yes, well, even at that age, I was a curious boy, always asking questions and wanting logical answers. I must have driven poor Mama and Papa absolutely insane that year, wanting to know how it was possible for one man to deliver toys to every child in only one night or how reindeer could fly. Unfortunately, they weren't able to provide the answers I wanted, so I stopped believing." Akira shrugged, obviously thinking it was no big deal. "I'm sure you were the same way."

"Actually, I believed in Santa until I was seven," Ami confessed, somewhat reluctantly. Even if she had figured out the truth before most of her peers, compared to Akira, she must have looked like the most gullible person in the world.

"You did?"

"You probably think that's weird, don't you?"

"Not weird, just unexpected," he replied. "Surely, Ami, you must have suspected…"

"I had my doubts, sometimes," she admitted, refusing to look down at him, "but otou-san always managed to explain it so it made sense to me. Whenever I would ask one of the questions you mentioned before, he would just say it was magic, and that was good enough for me."

"What caused you to stop believing, then?"

Ami paused before answering, "That year I asked Santa to get my parents back together, and he didn't. After that, I couldn't believe anymore."

"Oh, Ami, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."

"No, it's okay." Wiping away a tear that some how managed to roll down her cheek, she pushed back the depressing memory of that Christmas to the dark recesses of her mind. It was New Year's, a time to look ahead to the future, not dwell on the past. Besides, she had made peace with her parents' divorce years ago. "So, you really don't believe in anything without proof, do you?" Ami asked in an attempt to steer their conversation back in the original direction.

Akira stood back up and shook his head. "I'm a scientist, Ami," he declared as he came up beside her. "We're trained to look at facts."

A frown crossed Ami's lips. Over the past week, ever since Akira told her that he loved her, Ami had seriously been debating whether or not she should tell Akira about her secret identity as Sailor Mercury. In fact, up until they arrived at the shrine, she thought she might even tell him the truth later that night, but that was before she realized the extent of his dislike for anything supernatural or illogical. She always knew it would be difficult to tell somebody she loved about her powers, but how was she supposed to explain them to somebody like Akira, who put his trust whole-heartedly in science?

"But don't you ever get the feeling that there are some things in this world that can't be explained with facts?" she asked.

"You mean something like a higher power at work?"

"Well, I guess you could say that. Or magic."

"Magic?" Akira laughed. "Don't tell me you actually believe something like magic really exists, Ami. That kind of stuff only belongs in manga and anime."

Embarrassed, Ami looked down at the pond underneath them. "Is it so unbelievable that I might?" she asked softly, her eyes following one of the golden fish swimming in the crystal blue water.

"Actually, it kind of is," he said. "I never thought you were the type to believe in that kind of thing. Are you telling me you truly believe magic exists, Ami? Real magic, and not the David Copperfield variety?"

Her heart said "yes," but fear of Akira thinking she was stupid for believing so prevented Ami from saying the word aloud. Luckily, when she finally looked up from the pond, she spotted Akira's sister waving to them from a couple of hundred feet away, saying something that was too faint to here.

"I think Junko-chan's trying to tell us it is time to leave," Ami said, grateful for the interruption. "We better go back."

"Yeah, I guess we should."

Akira took her arm, leading her over to where Junko was standing, and Ami sighed.

It was definitely not the time to reveal her secrets.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soon after waking, Makoto headed downstairs to retrieve the bundle of New Year's greetings sitting in their mailbox. It was even larger than last year's, and, after fixing herself a cup of coffee, she sat down at the small island in the middle of the kitchen and began sorting the cards into two stacks, one for her and one for Ami.

The hand-drawn card Ami had sent her was one of the last ones in the bunch. Makoto grinned when she saw it, recognizing her roommate's handwriting immediately. It read, "Happy New Year, Mako-chan! I'm having a wonderful time in Nagano, but I miss you and the other girls terribly. I hope everything is going well at home, and I'll see you soon. Love, Ami," and she had drawn a pair of dolphins at the top of the postcard. Even though the drawing wasn't as intricate as the artwork Michiru had drawn on her greetings to them, it was obvious that Ami had inherited some of her artist father's talent.

"You look happy," a male voice commented, its owner coming up behind Makoto and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

Makoto blushed faintly, placing Ami's card face down on the table. She hadn't expected Itto to wake up so soon. He had been sleeping so soundly when she got up to check the mail, she thought he would sleep for at least another hour or so.

"Why shouldn't I be happy?" she asked, swirling around on her stool so that she was facing her robe-clad boyfriend. "It's a brand new year, and it's already off to a great start."

Itto grinned. "We did have one heck of a celebration last night, didn't we?" he teased. "No regrets?"

Shaking her head, Makoto smiled softly as she remembered what had happened the night before. She never expected things to move as fast as they did, but ever since Itto confessed his feelings for her on Christmas Eve, they had practically been joined at the hip. It had really only been a matter of time before the saying took on a more literal meaning, and Makoto couldn't have asked for a more romantic first time.

"No regrets."

"Good." Itto gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then walked over to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup. "So, what's on the agenda today? With Ami-san coming back in a couple of days, we really ought to take advantage of having this place all to ourselves, don't you think?"

The idea certainly was tempting, but Makoto sighed, remembering what day it was. "I wish we could, but I promised Rei-chan and the others that I would come by Hikawa today for the first prayer of the year. Even though Ami-chan's not here, it's tradition."

"You don't have to stay the whole day, do you?" Itto asked.

"No, but if it's busy enough, Rei-chan might ask me to stay and help out."

"Well, just tell her you can't. I'm sure she'll understand."

"You don't mind going?" Makoto asked.

"No, not at all." Itto set down his half-drunk mug of coffee on the counter, then started back toward her bedroom. "Listen, I'm going to go get dressed, then head to my apartment to change into something more suitable. I'll be back in about an hour."

Makoto smiled. "Okay. I'll be waiting."

When Makoto and Itto arrived at Hikawa about an hour later, they found the shrine already filled with visitors arriving for their New Year's prayers. As far as Makoto could tell, the Tsukinos and Mamoru hadn't arrived yet, more than likely being held up by sleepyhead Usagi, but a familiar blonde, spotting them when they arrived, excitedly waved to them from one of the booths where she was working.

"Mako-chan! Mako-chan! Over here!" the girl shouted.

"I do believe somebody is trying to catch your attention, Mako-chan," Itto said, smiling.

Makoto sighed good-naturedly, used to Minako's sometimes embarrassing behavior. "So it seems. Come on. We might as well say hello."

The two of them walked over to the booth where Minako had just finished selling a charm to a customer. To deal with the influx of patrons to the shrine during the usual New Year's rush, Minako had volunteered her services as an honorary priestess -- or had been manipulated into it, depending on who you asked -- for the week.

"Happy New Year!" the blonde said as they walked up.

"Happy New Year!" Makoto and Itto replied in unison.

"Hey, Minako-chan. Where's Rei-chan?" Makoto asked, noticing the real priestess of Hikawa was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, her grandfather wanted her help with something, I think. She should be back in a few minutes," Minako explained, turning her attention to Itto. A flirtatious smile crossed her lips. "Hello, Asanuma-kun. Nice to see you again. It's been a while."

Itto nodded politely in acknowledgement. "You. too, Aino-san. Those robes suit you."

"You think?" Minako fluffed at her long blonde hair, obviously enjoying the male attention. "I always did think red was my best--" She suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing into slits as she stared at Makoto.

"What, Minako-chan?"

Her mouth spread into a huge smile. "You guys finally got together, didn't you?"

Makoto looked over at Itto, and the both of them blushed.

"I knew it!"

Still in shock that Minako was able to guess so quickly when she and Itto hadn't even as much as held hands yet in her presence, Makoto asked, "How did you know?"

"What are you talking about? I am Venus, the goddess of love; I know these things." Leaning over the booth's counter, Minako motioned Makoto to come closer so she could tell her something else. "Besides, you really need to work on hiding your jealousy better, Mako-chan," she whispered in her ear. "You looked ready to bite my head off when Asanuma-kun complimented me. Classic girlfriend behavior."

"W-What? I-I did n--"

Ignoring Makoto, Minako turned her attention back to Itto. "So, when did this happen? I want to know all the juicy details. Well, the PG-13 details, at least. What happens in the bedroom isn't really any of my business, unless, of course, you don't mind telling--"

"Minako-chan, don't you have work to do?" Makoto asked pointedly, cutting her off. Sometimes that girl had no sense of privacy.

The blonde, apparently not getting the hint, reached under the counter and pulled out a sign, which she hung out in front of the booth. It read "Closed for lunch," written in Rei's familiar flowing calligraphy. "I'm on break," Minako announced. "Now, spill."

"You know, I think I'll leave you two girls to your girl talk for now," Itto said, looking behind him. "I just saw Chiba-sempai arrive, so I should go say hello."

Itto ran off before Makoto could protest, leaving her to face Minako-the-Nosy all by herself. Some boyfriend he was, but she couldn't be too mad at him. She didn't blame Itto for wanting to get away.

"So? So?"

Sighing, Makoto finally surrendered the details, knowing Minako wouldn't leave her alone until she did. "It was Christmas Eve. Itto-kun surprised me with a candlelit dinner at his place, and he confessed that he liked me as more than a friend. At first, I was a bit reluctant to take our friendship to the next level, but I finally realized I felt the same way, so here we are."

"Oh, that's so romantic!" Minako swooned, clutching her hands to her chest. Makoto could have sworn she saw stars in her friend's eyes. "I wish I had a guy who would do something like that for me. You're so lucky, Mako-chan."

Glancing over her shoulder at Itto, who was talking with Mamoru and Usagi, Makoto smiled. She really was lucky to have found somebody so kind and caring as Itto. To imagine he was standing right in front of her eyes the entire time! "Yes, I guess I am."

"You've got it bad, girl." With a loud sigh, Minako rested her head on the counter and pouted her lips. "I'm kind of jealous," she admitted. "Both you and Usagi-chan have boyfriends now, and you know Rei-chan's not interested in that kind of thing. Ami-chan and I are now the only ones still single and looking. It's rather depressing."

"Actually, you're the only--"

Slapping a hand over her mouth, Makoto stopped herself just in time. She couldn't believe she had almost revealed Ami's affair with the married man separated from his wife, the secret she had promised her roommate she would keep from the others until Ami was ready to tell them.

Unfortunately, Minako's suspicions were already aroused. Her head shot up so fast, Makoto almost expected it to blast off into space.

"I'm the only what, Mako-chan?" she demanded to know.

"Nothing. Forget I said anything."

"No, you were going to say something." Baby blue eyes widened. "You know something about Ami-chan, don't you? Something she hasn't told anybody else?"

"No, of course not," Makoto insisted, trying to figure out how to get out of the mess she had created.

"You do, too! Ami-chan has a secret boyfriend, doesn't she?"

"Ami-chan? A boyfriend?" Makoto faked a loud laugh, scratching the back of her head. "Don't be silly, Minako-chan! Ami-chan's too devoted to her studies to have time for romance."

"Then where is she?"

"You know she went to Hong Kong with her mother for that medical conference. She told us that at the last senshi meeting. She thought it would be a great learning experience."

"That's what she said, but how do we know Ami-chan hasn't gone off on some romantic rendezvous with a hunky lover?"

"Minako-chan, this is Mizuno Ami we're talking about. Does that really sound like something she would do?"

"No," the blonde was reluctantly forced to admit.

"Then let it go."

A sigh of relief escaped Makoto's lips when Minako, finally deciding to drop the subject, started telling her about her latest movie audition. That had been a close call. She certainly hoped Ami appreciated all the trouble she was going through to keep her secret. Makoto hated lying to her friends.

A few minutes later, Rei came back, looking none too happy when she found the two of them chatting.

"Aino Minako, what do you think you're doing?" the raven-haired priestess asked, hands on hips as she glared at the blonde.

"Rei-chan!" Quickly, Minako turned the "Closed for lunch" sign around so that it now read "Open for business" and flashed Rei her most dazzling smile. "There you are! We were just wondering what was keeping you," she lied in her best "I'm totally innocent" voice.

Of course, Rei had been best friends with Minako for far too long to fall for such an act. "You're supposed to be selling charms and fortunes, not gossiping with Mako-chan," she scolded, joining Minako in the booth. "People have started to complain."

"Sorry. I'll get right back to work."

As a berated Minako turned around and started organizing a box of charms, Makoto bowed to Rei in greeting. "Happy New Year, Rei-chan."

"Happy New Year," Rei reciprocated, though Makoto couldn't help but think she sounded a bit tired. It was no wonder, considering how busy the shrine was. "Mako-chan, I'm sorry. We would love to talk more, but…"

"I understand," Makoto said, getting the message. "This is the biggest day of the year for Hikawa. I'm sorry for distracting Minako-chan from her work. I'll catch up with you guys later, when it's not so busy, okay? Bye!"

She started to go rejoin Itto when Minako asked, "Hey, don't you want to buy a fortune first?"

Turning back around, Makoto shrugged and started digging for her wallet. She might as well, since she was already there and first in line. "Sure, I guess so. It's the least I can do for all the trouble I've caused."

"Hold out your hand." Makoto followed her instructions, and Minako began shaking a wooden container, chanting something that was probably meant to be some kind of prayer but sounded a lot like gibberish coming from Minako's untrained mouth. When she finished, the honorary priestess tilted the container so a stick fell in Makoto's waiting hand. "So, what number did you get?" Minako asked.

"Fourteen," Makoto answered, looking down at the number printed on the end of the stick.

"Fourteen, fourteen…" After a short search, she reached for a piece of paper sitting it the slot marked "14" and winked as she handed it over. "Here you go, Mako-chan, and may you have the best of luck in the new year."

"Thanks."

After paying for the fortune and promising Minako she would call later for some uninterrupted "girl talk," Makoto headed over to where Itto stood waiting. Mamoru and Usagi were already gone.

"Tsukino-san wanted to go find her family, so I told them we would catch up with them later," Itto explained before Makoto even asked why her friends had left without saying "hello." Noticing the folded piece of paper in her hand, he asked, "Did you buy a fortune from Aino-san?"

"Yeah."

"What did it say?"

"I actually haven't read it yet," Makoto admitted. Unfolding the paper, she smiled and read the fortune aloud. "You will find love in the most unexpected place."

"Hey, I like the sound of that," Itto said, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her close.

She couldn't agree more.

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As Ami had mentioned to Junko at the party, she and Akira got an early start the next morning to head back home to Tokyo. While she was sad to leave Nagano and the people who already felt like family to her, Ami was also looking forward to seeing her mother and Makoto again, as well as the rest of her friends. She may have only been gone for a couple of weeks, but it seemed like so much longer.

"I think that's about it," Akira announced as he placed the last suitcase in the trunk of Dr. Nakajima's car and closed it. "Ami, are you sure you got everything?"

She nodded, having just come back down from giving Junko's room one final look-over before leaving. "That's all."

"I guess it's time to hit the road then."

"Akira, are you sure you and Ami-chan can't stay a little while longer?" Mrs. Kitagawa called from her spot in the doorway. The rest of family had already said their goodbyes the night before and were still in bed. "At least stay until breakfast. I'm sure everybody would like to see you one more time before you go."

"Mama, traffic's bound to be bad, especially with all the snow we got New Year's Eve. We should head out as soon as possible if we want to get back home at a decent hour. Besides, they're expecting another snowstorm to start around noon."

"All the more reason to stay an extra day and wait until the rest of the ice and snow clears up."

"We'll be fine," Akira assured her, coming back up to the door and kissing his mother on the cheek. "Goodbye, Mama. We'll come up again during spring break."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Mrs. Kitagawa seemed much happier after that, giving her son a hug before turning her attention to Ami. "As for you, young lady, be good to my little boy, okay?" she said with a wag of her finger. "Don't let him get too caught up in those experiments of his, and make sure he eats a good homemade meal every once in a while."

"I will, Izumi-mama," Ami promised.

It was the first time she had been able to call her that without stumbling, and Mrs. Kitagawa beamed, giving Ami a huge hug as well. "Oh, how wonderful it is to hear you call me that, Ami-chan! Perhaps it won't be too long before you truly are my daughter, right?"

"Mama…" Akira sighed, reaching for Ami's arm. "Come on, let go of her. You're practically choking her."

"Oops, sorry!"

Reluctantly, Mrs. Kitagawa released Ami from her tight embrace, not a moment too soon. Although Akira had most likely thought he was exaggerating, Ami had truly begun to feel a bit light-headed from the lack of oxygen. After Mrs. Kitagawa said her final goodbyes, she went back in the house and they headed toward the car.

"Congratulations, you have officially survived a week with the Kitagawas," Akira boomed in a fake announcer's voice as he slid into the driver's seat. "How do you feel, Mizuno Ami-san? Any permanent damage?"

Ami giggled, buckling her seat belt. "Oh, come on, I loved your family. They weren't all that bad."

"Even 'Izumi-mama'?" he teased with a roll of his eyes. "Honestly, could you believe how many times she brought up the topic of marriage while we were here? Even when I told her we still had a long way to go before we could even consider taking that step, she still couldn't resist bringing it up at least one more time before we left."

"She just wants you to be happy, Akira."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." After buckling his own seat belt, he put the key in the ignition and revved up the engine. "Ready to hit the road?"

Ami nodded. "As long as you promise to drive more carefully than you did the day we left Tokyo. I'd like to make it back alive, thank you."

Akira childishly stuck out his tongue, but, much to Ami's relief, he took it slow as he backed out of the driveway and onto the road. Relaxed when she saw that he was more than capable of being a good driver when he wanted, Ami leaned back in her seat and sighed as she watched the house of Akira's childhood eventually roll out of sight.

She really would miss them -- even Izumi-mama.

Ami didn't know when, but, sometime on the drive home, she managed to fall asleep, tired from waking up so early. Perhaps it was a bit of Mrs. Kitagawa's influence coming through, but she dreamed of a future Christmas Eve when, instead of a chessboard, Akira surprised her with a small box containing a brilliant marquis-cut diamond ring inside. The dream Ami was just about to accept his proposal when the real Ami felt the car come to a stop, causing her eyes to flutter.

"Hey, we're home, sleepyhead," Akira announced softly, giving her a slight shake. "Time to wake up."

Stifling back a yawn, Ami rubbed her eyes and looked around, finding they were indeed in the parking lot in front of her apartment building. "Already?" she asked. "I slept the entire drive?"

"Pretty much."

"Sorry," she apologized, feeling a faint blush rise up to her cheeks. She hadn't meant to be such poor company, especially considering the drive was the last chance they had to be alone together before they had to return to their world of lies and secret meetings.

"I suppose I did wake us up a bit early this morning," Akira said, chuckling as he put on a pair of sunglasses for disguise. "I thought the roads would be worse than they were. If you want, though, we can go back to my place and get a little more shut-eye before you go up. I can bring you back later."

As tempting as it was to steal a little more alone time, and it was, Ami shook her head and unbuckled her seat belt. "I shouldn't. Mako-chan's expecting me. I told her we would probably be back by nine. It's still a little early, but I don't want her to worry."

"Okay." Leaning over, he kissed her briefly on the lips before getting out of the car to help her with her things.

By the time Ami joined him, taking her time to push back the inevitable moment of goodbye, he had already pulled most of her bags out of the trunk. The only thing left was her ski equipment tied to the top of the car, but she told Akira to leave it where it was. She would pick that up later. There was no way she would be able to make it up to the penthouse alone with both her skis and her suitcases without taking more than one trip.

"I wish you could come up with me," Ami sighed, taking advantage of their last few moments together as she snuggled up against him in a close embrace. "Now that I've met your family, I want you to meet Mako-chan and all my friends. I hate all this sneaking around, absolutely hate it."

"Perhaps someday, Ami," Akira murmured into her hair, his voice wistful. "For now, we'll have to settle for the memories of the last couple of weeks, when we finally got the chance to be a normal couple."

"Will we ever get that chance again?"

"Of course we will. I promise."

They stayed like that for a long moment, holding one another in each other's arms, until Ami finally pulled away. Even though Akira was virtually unrecognizable underneath his sunglasses and the ski cap he wore over his hair, they still couldn't take any more chances than absolutely necessary.

"I guess I better go now," she said, throwing a duffel bag over her shoulder and picking up her suitcase.

"Do you need any help up to your place?"

She shook her head. "No, I can make it. Besides, it's too risky for you to come inside."

"Right."

Despite what she said, Ami's feet remained firmly in place, her brain telling her to go inside while her heart urged her to stay where she was. Was this what love was like, the feeling that she never wanted to be apart from the one she loved, even if it was only for a short while? They had parted many times before in the past, but none of those times had seemed…so painful.

Akira seemed to have the same difficulty saying goodbye. He had pulled out his keys again, but he made no movement to get back in the car, instead, taking a few steps toward her. His hand reached up to cup her cheek, and Ami's free hand joined it, pressing it against her skin.

"We're being silly, aren't we?" he asked, chuckling. "We'll more than likely see each other tomorrow, yet it feels like an eternity away, doesn't it?"

"It does," she agreed. "After all the time we spent together, it'll be strange to go back to our normal lives.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to come back to my place? I'm sure your roommate would understand if you're a few hours late."

"No, I really should go," Ami said, forcing herself to let go of her grip on his hand.

"So you keep saying…"Akira laughed, but he eventually brought his hand back down to his side and chastely kissed her cheek, probably knowing that if he did anymore, they would never leave the parking lot. "I'll see you later, Ami."

"Yes, definitely."

Sighing, Ami waited until the car was out of sight before grabbing the rest of her things and heading upstairs.


	13. Chapter 13

"I can't believe we finished early for once!"

As Ami cleaned out the test tubes they had used for that day's experiment, Akira smiled and placed another weight on the balance he had just calibrated. It was indeed a rare night when they actually finished ahead of schedule, but he couldn't say he necessarily minded, as it meant more time for him and Ami to spend on other things besides research. They hadn't really spent much quality time together since their holiday vacation, due to his working on an important paper for a prestigious scientific journal and Ami catching up on her schoolwork, which she had let slide ever so slightly since they started seeing each other.

However, now that his paper was finished and Ami was once again at least three chapters ahead in all her classes…

"You know, I can think of one thing we can do with the extra time…" Akira said huskily, coming up behind his lover and starting to nibble at her earlobe.

Though he was unable to see her face, Akira knew from experience Ami was blushing. "Akira, we're at work," she admonished, setting the test tube she had been cleaning back in its rack.

"So?"

"So, it's too dangerous. What if somebody sees us?"

"Like who?" he asked, moving down to her slender neck. "Nobody's going to interrupt us. Come on, Ami. You know you want to…"

A lustful sigh escaped from her lips when he found one of Ami's secret erogenous zones, weakening her resolve. "Akira, you are such a terrible influence on me. First the pool, then the library in Nagano, now this…"

"Variety is the spice of life."

"Somehow, I don't think this is what they meant."

"What's the fun in life if you don't take a risk every now and then?"

"It does sound tempting…" she moaned as Akira's hands found their way up to her breasts, stroking her nipples through the fabric of her satin blouse.

Taking that as a yes, Akira cleared off a nearby table of some paperwork, then wordlessly led her over.

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After her last class of the day, Yui headed to Professor Kitagawa's office, intending to talk to her chemistry professor about the quiz he had passed back earlier that day. She had double-checked the answer of a question he had marked wrong in her textbook, and, while her answer wasn't the most commonly held belief, she still thought she deserved at least partial credit, if not the full point value.

However, when she arrived, she was informed that Professor Kitagawa was not there and that he was working in the lab. Yui was in no mood to walk all the way to the Institute of Medical Science, which was located near the other end of the campus, but the professor only gave them one day after a test or quiz was passed back to appeal their grade, so she had no choice but to grudgingly trek her way to the research center, cursing her bad luck the entire way.

It just hadn't been her day, had it? First, her alarm clock failed to go off that morning, causing her to miss breakfast in favor of getting dressed and making a mad dash to her first class. Then, she had gotten back the chemistry quiz, coming in second yet again to Miss Mizuno, who had received another perfect score. After that, Yui had completely blown her diet of the week, pigging out on two slices of greasy pepperoni and sausage pizza to make up for the missed breakfast (and the stupid quiz), and now she was being forced to walk all the way across campus in the cool mid-February weather to argue for a measly two points which she should have been given in the first place.

Well, at least she was getting her exercise for the day.

"Excuse me, miss, do you have clearance?" a middle-aged man sitting behind the main desk in the lobby asked as Yui entered the building and passed by on the way to the elevators.

Yui stopped in her tracks and muttered a swear under her breath before plastering a fake smile on her face and walking over to the desk. She had forgotten that the labs were off limits except to authorized personnel, and, unfortunately, Professor Kitagawa had taken back her temporary ID card after that one week she filled in for Miss Mizuno. "No, but I'll only be a few minutes," she promised in her sweetest voice. "I just need to speak to my professor."

"I'm sorry, but, without permission, I can't allow you to go any further than this desk."

"I see." Determined not to leave without having seen Professor Kitagawa, Yui quickly came up with a plan. "This is just terrible," she said, letting out an overly dramatic sigh as she turned her back to the secretary. "Now what am I supposed to do? I really need to talk to him."

"What's the problem, miss?"

Yui smiled privately to herself, thinking how easy men were to manipulate. She could be quite the actress when she wanted to be, and she put that talent to good use as she turned back around, her eyes misty with crocodile tears. "Well, you see, I was supposed to turn in this really important paper to my professor this afternoon, but, since I accidentally left it in my dorm, he told me that if I got it to him before six, he wouldn't penalize me," she explained, mentally congratulating herself for coming up with a cover story so quickly. "But now, he's sure to fail me, and I'll lose my scholarship and have to drop out…"

Yui pretended to sob, hiding her face in her hands, as the secretary reached for the handkerchief sticking out of his jacket pocket. "Please, miss, don't cry," he said, offering her the handkerchief. "Why don't you leave the paper with me, and I'll be sure he gets it when he leaves?"

"Thank you for the offer, sir, but by then, it'll be too late. It's almost six right now, and my professor is really strict about this kind of thing. Isn't there anything you can do to help me?"

"Well…" Peeking through the space between her fingers, Yui saw the secretary open a desk drawer and pull out a clipboard. "I'm not supposed to do this unless you're on the list," he admitted, "but since I can see this is an emergency, I'll issue you a guest pass."

"You will?" Yui sniffled, using his handkerchief to wipe away the few tears she had managed to force. "Thank you. You're very kind."

"Don't mention it. Just sign there."

He slid the clipboard across the desk and pointed to an empty space at the bottom of the list of signatures, which consisted mostly of doctors and scientists from other schools. Triumphantly, Yui signed her name and handed the clipboard back to him. "Here you go."

"And here you go," he said, handing her a yellow card marked "Guest." "This is good for an hour and will allow you access to all guest-approved areas. Most of the labs are strictly off limits, but you are welcome to wait outside in the hall. Be sure to turn this card back in when you're done."

"Thank you again. You saved my life."

After bowing in gratitude, Yui walked back to the elevators and headed up to the third floor. It took her a while to remember where his lab was located, but she eventually located it and was about to knock when something she saw in the small door window gave her pause.

Yui could see Professor Kitagawa inside the lab, but he wasn't alone, and he certainly wasn't working. In his arms was a young, blue-haired girl, and they were kissing passionately, the girl's back pressed against a table in the center of the room. At first, Yui wasn't able to identify the professor's new girlfriend, as his height mostly obscured her features, but when he lifted the girl onto the table, giving her a good view of the girl's face over his shoulder, Yui gasped and stepped away from the door.

She knew that girl! She was none other than Mizuno Ami, the professor's research assistant and Yui's number one rival.

Thinking she must have been mistaken, Yui once again peered through the window, her suspicions confirmed. The girl was definitely Miss Mizuno; there was no mistaking it.

"I can't believe it…" she breathed, all thoughts of speaking to Professor Kitagawa about her quiz forgotten as she let what she had just seen sink in. "Mizuno-san…and our teacher…together…"

And at that moment, her bad day started to look much brighter.

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"Hideki, you won't believe what just happened!"

Glancing up from his computer screen, Hideki was surprised to see his girlfriend standing over him, her cheeks flushed and her light blue eyes practically sparkling. Yui was panting, as if she had just finished running a marathon race, and she was obviously excited about something.

"What? Did Kitagawa-sensei give you a higher grade on that test?" he asked, remembering that she had said something earlier about wanting to talk to her chemistry professor about a problem she was convinced he had incorrectly marked wrong.

Shaking her head, Yui plopped down in the booth opposite him and called out an order for a small low-fat mocha latte to a nearby waitress. "No, this is way bigger than an extra two points on a test," she announced.

At that, Hideki saved what he was working on and closed his laptop. To Yui, nothing was more important than her marks, so, if she claimed her news was bigger than a good test grade, he knew it had to be huge. "Okay, you officially have my complete and undivided attention," he declared. "What is it?"

"Guess what I just saw in sensei's lab."

"I don't know. What?"

Yui paused dramatically, dragging the moment out like the MC of a beauty pageant, before finally revealing her big news. "Kitagawa-sensei and Mizuno-san locked in a passionate embrace!"

"Yui, are you hallucinating?" Hideki asked, reaching across the table to place a hand upon her forehead and finding it cool to the touch. "You don't have a fever…"

She swatted his hand away, shooting him an annoyed look. "I'm not sick, Hideki! I honestly saw them together."

"Of course you did. Mizuno-san is working as his lab assistant," he reminded Yui, somewhat amused at his normally level-headed girlfriend's behavior. He hadn't known she had such an over-active imagination. "You told me yourself. They're doing research together."

Huffing, Yui leaned back in the booth and folded her arms across her chest. "Unless sensei was doing research on Viagra, I highly doubt what I saw could be classified as 'research.'"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Are you calling me a liar?" she asked, a flicker of a flame burning in her eyes.

Holding up his hands in mock surrender, Hideki shook his head. The last thing he wanted was for Yui to be angry with him, especially when they were having a study date later that night. "N-No, of course not. It's just hard to believe, that's all. Isn't it possible that you were mistaken?"

"Believe me, I know what I saw," Yui insisted. "They were about two minutes away from turning that lab into a scene from _Teacher's Pet_."

"Kitagawa-sensei and Mizuno-san?"

Hideki tried to imagine it, but the idea was too ridiculous to even contemplate. He only knew Miss Mizuno by reputation and what Yui told him, but she certainly didn't strike him as the type of person who would sleep with her professor. "Yui, I think you're letting this obsession you have with Mizuno-san go to your head," he said, rubbing at his forehead. "Besides, I've met Kitagawa-sensei's girlfriend before, and, though I don't know what Mizuno-san looks like, I highly doubt they are one in the same. Kitagawa-sensei is an intelligent man. There's no way he would risk exposure of such an affair, if it even exists, by bringing Mizuno-san to his apartment, when he knows full well that a university student lives right down the hall. It would be professional suicide."

"You've met his girlfriend? When?" Yui demanded to know.

"The day after that skinny-dipping incident. When I went to walk sensei's dog, she was at the apartment."

"What did she look like?"

"I don't know… Average height, slim, cute."

"Can't you be more specific?"

Hideki sighed, starting to become annoyed by her questions about the mystery girlfriend. Why did it even matter to Yui who Professor Kitagawa was dating anyway? It was his own private business. "Yui, it was months ago, and we only talked for a couple of minutes. I don't really remember what she looked liked."

"Surely you must at least remember her hair color. Was it blue?"

He shrugged. "She had just gotten out of the shower, so her hair was wet. I don't really know. I guess it was black. That's what it looked like to me."

"But it could have been blue? You don't know for sure?"

"Yes, I suppose it could have been blue, but it could have been brown as well, if you want to use that logic."

"How old was she?"

"Around our age, I guess. She was a bit on the young side," Hideki admitted. "Still, how old is Kitagawa-sensei? In his late twenties or early thirties? It's not all that strange for him to be dating a twenty-year-old. She could be a student at another school. or she may not even be a student at all."

"Or she could have been Mizuno-san," Yui insisted.

Hideki rolled his eyes, still in disbelief they were still on the subject. "You're not going to give this idea up, are you?"

Yui didn't answer his question, instead asking one more time, "Can't you remember anything else about her?"

"Yui, I told you, I only met her once, the morning after the skin--" Hideki abruptly stopped, finally realizing why the girl had looked so familiar to him.

"Hideki?"

"The skinny-dipping girl! I'm not completely positive, but I'm pretty sure she was the girl we saw in the pool that night!" he said triumphantly. "That means you saw her as well, and you didn't mention anything about Mizuno-san that night."

Hideki felt pleased with himself for finally managing to prove Yui wrong, but his girlfriend shook her head. "We were five stories up, and it was dark," she reminded him. "Of course I wouldn't have been able to recognize her. Besides, even if this girlfriend you met wasn't Mizuno-san, that does nothing to prove me wrong about what I saw in the lab. The girl might have been a one-night stand, or they could have broken up, or maybe Kitagawa-sensei is cheating on her with Mizuno-san."

"I'm sorry, Yui," Hideki said, "but I just don't see it. I mean, he's a professor and she's his student. That sort of relationship is kind of forbidden."

"If you'll help me, I'll prove it to you," Yui challenged, not willing to give up her outrageous claim.

Hideki sighed, knowing from experience that she wouldn't drop her suspicions until she was either proved right or wrong. He might as well give in sooner, rather than later. "Okay, I'm probably going to regret this, but what do you need me to do?" he asked.

Smiling, Yui leaned over the table.

"Well, here's my plan…"

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"Tell me again why we're doing this?"

Hideki followed behind his girlfriend as they walked down the hall to Professor Kitagawa's apartment on the evening of Valentine's Day, his hand shaking as he reached into the large pocket of his jacket and fingered his copy of the teacher's keys and a small mini-camera. He knew he had agreed to help Yui with her scheme to expose his neighbor's alleged affair with his top student, but Hideki couldn't help having second thoughts about going through with the whole thing. It seemed wrong to spy on the man who had been nothing but kind to him. Professor Kitagawa's private life was no business but his own, and, even if he and Miss Mizuno were dating, was it really all that bad?

Yui, however, was a woman with a mission. Stopping in front of the door to the professor's apartment, she turned around, hands on her hips, and scolded him. "Hideki, you know perfectly well why we are doing this. If sensei and Mizuno-san are indeed involved, the school deserves to know about it."

"It's really none of our business."

"It is if it turns out the only reason why Mizuno-san retains her position at the top of the class is because she's dating her professor," she declared. "That's called nepotism, and it isn't fair to the rest of us who actually work for our grades."

"But you have no proof of that," he reminded her, coming up behind the titian-haired girl.

"Not yet, but I will tonight if all goes according to plan. Now, are you certain nobody's home?"

Hideki nodded. "I told you, sensei usually works late at the labs. He won't be back for hours."

"Good. The last thing we need is to be caught sneaking into his apartment," Yui said, holding out her gloved hand expectantly. "Key?"

For a moment, Hideki was tempted to say he had forgotten to bring it with him, but it would only prolong the inevitable, seeing as his apartment was only a few feet away, so, sighing, he reached back into the pocket and pulled out the silver key. "Here," he said, placing it in her hand. "I can't believe I let you talk me into betraying Kitagawa-sensei's trust like this. I'm positive this is not what he had in mind when he gave me that copy."

"Oh, stop worrying so much and get inside before somebody sees us."

With a light shove, Yui pushed him inside the apartment and closed the door behind them. The lights were off, so Hideki flipped the switch beside the door, revealing a clean, if not entirely tidy, living room. Yui raised an eyebrow.

"Not very fancy, is it?" she said, walking around as she inspected the room. "I guess professors really don't make a lot of money, at least those who don't have tenure yet."

"Can we just get this over with, Yui?" Hideki asked, anxious to leave and start their own Valentine's celebration. The sooner they were out of there, the better.

Yui sighed. "Fine, did you remember to bring that spy camera of yours?"

He patted his pocket. "It's right here."

"You have got to be kidding me," she said, looking at him in disbelief. "How can a camera fit inside there?"

Reaching inside the pocket, he pulled out the tiny camera and showed it to the skeptical redhead. He had bought it the night after Yui had hatched their plan at a state-of-the-art electronics store in Akihabara, and the man who had sold it to him assured Hideki it was the latest in surveillance equipment. About the size of a small coin, it could record up to forty-eight hours of footage and was easily hidden -- perfect for their plan. "This is cutting-edge technology," he said. "Nobody is going to find this thing unless they know what they're looking for."

"Sounds like exactly what we need," Yui said with an unnerving smile.

At that moment, a low growl reached their ears. It sounded as if it was coming from the direction of the kitchen, and Yui jumped, latching onto Hideki's arm. "W-What's that?" she stuttered, her skin going as pale as a ghost.

Hideki fought the urge to laugh. "Oh, that's only sensei's dog, Mercury," he said, disengaging himself from her tight grip on his arm. "Remember him from winter break? He's nothing to worry about." To prove it to her, Hideki looked around, and, seeing the Corgi standing at the entrance to the tiny kitchenette, crouched down. "Come here, Mercury," he said, whistling. "Remember me?" Mercury stared at him for a long moment, then hesitantly walked over, allowing Hideki to pet him. "Good boy…"

"Oh, stop messing around with that stupid dog," Yui ordered, recovering from her fright. "This isn't playtime, Hideki."

"Right." Rising, Hideki glanced around the room, looking for a suitable place to hide the camera. "So, where do you want this to go?" he asked. "Over there might be good."

He pointed to a bookshelf in the corner of the room, but Yui shook her head. "I was thinking more along the lines of sensei's bedroom," she declared.

"His bedroom?" Hideki immediately threw up his hands in protest, shaking his head. It was one thing to hide a camera in the living room, but what went on in a man's bedroom was a private matter. He certainly wouldn't like it if somebody bugged his room when he was with Yui. "Yui, I know I agreed to help you bug Kitagawa-sensei's apartment, but don't you think putting a surveillance camera in the guy's bedroom is going just a little too far?"

"Not at all," she replied, already heading in the direction of the bedroom. "His bedroom is the perfect place. This is where we will get the juiciest footage."

"I don't know about that," Hideki said, reluctantly following her inside. "They might not even be sleeping together."

Yui rolled her light blue eyes. "Trust me, Hideki -- if sensei is stupid enough to be dating Mizuno-san, he's stupid enough to be screwing her."

"If you say so…"

"Why don't you stop being such a wuss and get to work?" she snapped, obviously annoyed with his reluctance to go through with the plan. "And make sure we have a good view of the bed."

Sighing, Hideki pulled out the screwdriver he had also brought along and began searching for the perfect place to hide the camera. He still didn't like the idea of taping the professor's most private moments, but, if that was what Yui wanted, he really didn't have a choice. He promised. Besides, what were the chances that Professor Kitagawa and Miss Mizuno were physically intimate? Quite frankly, Hideki highly doubted they were even dating. The idea was just too preposterous, and, once Yui realized she had misinterpreted whatever she thought she saw in the lab the other day, hopefully, she would forget the whole thing, and they could get back to more important things than playing childish spy games.

"I guess that fire alarm will do," he finally declared, indicating the alarm on the wall opposite of the bed. "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, but can you hide it in there?" she asked.

"Piece of cake."

After dragging the small chest that sat at the foot of the bed to the wall, right underneath the alarm, Hideki climbed up and took off the cover. Years of fiddling with the insides of small appliances had made him somewhat of an electronics expert, and it only took a few minutes before he was able to rewire the fire alarm to the camera. Once that was finished, he placed the cover back on, careful to position it so the camera's lens could see the bed, then hopped back off the trunk.

"Is that all?" Yui asked in surprise as she helped Hideki move the chest back to its original position. "Now what?"

"Now we'll go back over to my apartment to test it out and wait for something to happen."

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Ami had been having the best Valentine's Day of her life. For the first time, she had somebody special to spend it with, and she made sure to go all out, making Akira a batch of homemade chocolates -- with help from Makoto, of course -- and even going back to Victoria's Secret on her own to pick up something special for later that night. Although a part of her wished that they could go out for a romantic dinner like other couples, Ami was still determined to make it a Valentine's Day to remember.

In fact, she smiled privately to herself as the two of them headed back to his apartment after finishing up at the lab, imagining the look on his face when Akira saw what was underneath her demure button-down dress.

"I must say, somebody just looks like she ate a canary," Akira said, chuckling as they stopped in front of the door to his apartment and he pulled out his keys. "What's with that secretive smile?"

Ami blushed, unaware he had been watching her. "A surprise," she replied.

"What kind of surprise?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out," she teased, brushing past him when he unlocked and opened the door.

Inside, she started to reach up and take off the platinum wig she had worn as a disguise when Akira shook his head. "Why don't you leave that on for a little while longer?" he suggested, coming up and embracing her from behind. "You look unbelievably sexy as a blonde."

"I suppose a few minutes more wouldn't hurt."

Keeping the wig on, Ami turned around to face her lover, wrapping her arms around Akira's neck and pulling him down to kiss her. They became caught up in a passionate liplock, barely even hearing Mercury's barks until the Corgi tried to jump his owner. Laughing, the two broke apart, and Akira rolled his eyes.

"Talk about ruining the mood," he said, glaring down at the dog, though it was obvious that he was more amused than mad at Mercury. "I suppose you're hungry, aren't you?"

Mercury barked twice in reply, then went running off to the kitchen.

"You better go feed him," Ami said. "If you don't, he's never going to leave us alone."

"Right. And you should get ready that surprise of yours, whatever it is."

"I thought we were going to order take-out first," she reminded him.

"I'm not very hungry," he admitted, "for food, any way. Those delicious chocolates you made me filled me up. Why don't we build up an appetite first, then order out?"

That sounded just fine to Ami.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This so boring!" Yui whined.

Almost two hours had passed since they had broken into Professor Kitagawa's apartment and hidden the camera, but, as of yet, nobody had come home. The bedroom on the television screen set up so they could watch the tape as it recorded looked exactly as they had left it, not even a pillow out of place. The boredom of waiting for something to happen was starting to drive Yui crazy.

"When does sensei usually get home?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at her shirtless boyfriend sitting against the headboard of the bed.

Hideki, who had decided to pass the time playing a game on his laptop, hit one of the keys to pause the game and glanced up from the screen, frowning at the interruption. "I told you, Yui, Kitagawa-sensei should be back soon," he replied. "He's usually home by nine at the latest."

"Nine?" Yui looked at the time on the VCR and sighed. "But that's fifteen minutes away."

"You know, if you're so bored, I can think of a few ways we could entertain ourselves…"

Setting his laptop on the nightstand, Hideki crawled over to where Yui sat at the edge of the bed, clad in the white terrycloth robe she had changed into after taking a shower, and began lightly kissing her neck.

"Hideki, stop that!" she ordered, slapping his hand away when she felt him reaching for the knot of her belt. "We did that already."

"But I'm ready for another round."

"Ugh, why do boys seem to have a permanent case of sex on the brain?" she wondered aloud.

"Come on. It's Valentine's Day."

"I'm not in the mood."

"Yui!"

Suddenly, Yui brought a finger to her lips, signaling her horny boyfriend to be quiet. She heard something coming from the TV, a faint noise that sounded like a door closing and muffled voices, one male and one female, intermingling with Mercury's excited barks. "I think they might be back," she said in a soft voice, trying to make out what they were saying. "Turn up the volume."

Hideki reached for the remote and put the TV on maximum volume. "Maybe we should have thought about bugging the living room, too," he commented. "I can't understand a word they're saying."

"Too late for that, now. Besides, the important stuff will happen in the bedroom."

"If they are, in fact, sleeping together." Hideki shook his head, still obviously not believing what she had seen in the lab. "Honestly, Yui," he continued, "I think this was a complete waste of time. The odds that--"

Yui abruptly covered his mouth with her hand, the voices becoming louder and more distinct. "I think they're heading to the door," she whispered, her heart pounding against her chest. Finally, some action! "Are you recording this?"

"I am now," Hideki replied, hitting the record button on the remote.

"Good."

As Yui and Hideki transfixed their eyes on the screen, the door to the bedroom creaked opened and a slender hand, obviously not belonging to the professor, reached in to flip the switch. Light filled the small room and reflected off the platinum hair of the woman who entered. Yui was momentarily confused, positive she had been right about the woman in the lab being Miss Mizuno, but then the blonde reached up to pull off her wig, revealing a head of dark blue hair underneath. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, the woman slowly began undoing the buttons of her dress, revealing the powder-pink lace teddy trimmed with a red bow she wore underneath, and a few minutes later, a man joined her. He apologized for taking so long to feed the dog and bent down to tenderly kiss the woman as she reached up to rid him of his shirt and tie.

"Oh my god, it's true?" Hideki breathed. His hazel eyes had widened to nearly twice their size as he continued to watch the two lovers undress. "That's Mizuno-san?"

Glancing over at her boyfriend, Yui smirked with satisfaction. She knew she had been right about the professor and Miss Mizuno, and it felt good to finally be proven correct. "What did I tell you?" she said. "Maybe next time you'll believe me when I tell you something."

"But Kitagawa-sensei and Mizuno-san? It's unbelievable!"

"You can't argue with concrete proof," Yui replied, turning her attention back to the TV and raising an eyebrow at the image on the screen. "Well, what do you know? That really is Mizuno-san's natural hair color."

"Yui!" Finally breaking free from his trance, Hideki's mouth dropped open. "Don't tell me you actually want to watch this," he said. "I-It's wrong. They don't even know we're taping them."

"I don't see you moving to turn it off."

"Yes…well…" Blushing, Hideki scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't know Mizuno-san had such a nice figure."

Yui glared, but before she became too angry by her boyfriend's open admiration of another woman's body -- one that was far more beautiful than her own -- she pushed Hideki back down against the pillows and straddled him. It was time to remind him what he already had. "Okay, enough of that," she said, feeling his erection through the fabric of his jeans. "Why watch it on TV when you can get a live show?"

"But I thought you weren't in the mood."

Smiling, Yui reached for the belt of her robe. "Well, let's just say I'm feeling a little more generous at the moment. After all, it is Valentine's Day."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Late Saturday afternoon, Ami sat on her bed with her laptop, checking her email while she waited for Makoto to finish dressing. The two of them were supposed to be heading to the theater where they planned to catch the new Miyazaki movie that had just opened, but Makoto was taking forever to choose an outfit.

"Okay, which goes better with these pants?" Makoto asked, barging into Ami's bedroom for the third time with a top in each hand. She was dressed only in a pair of black pants, changed from the denim skirt she wore before, and a nude-colored strapless bra. "The green turtleneck or the chiffon baby doll?"

"I'm sure you'll look great no matter what you wear, Mako-chan," Ami replied, barely glancing up from her computer screen. After all, it was the truth. Makoto could wear a paper sack and people would think it was haute couture.

The brunette groaned in frustration. "You're not helping, Ami-chan!"

"Sorry, but you know I've never been much of a fashion plate. If you want a second opinion, why don't you call Minako-chan? Choosing clothes is more her area of expertise."

"I would, but she has an audition this afternoon for that new TV show," Makoto reminded her, hopping onto Ami's bed. "Please, Ami-chan. I want to look my best. You've got to help me!"

"Because Asanuma-kun will be there?" Ami guessed, giggling as her roommate began to blush profusely. Though she and Asanuma had been dating seriously ever since Christmas, Makoto still became flustered whenever his name was mentioned. "Okay, if I have to choose, then I say go with the turtleneck. It matches your eyes, and it's more weather appropriate."

"Thanks!"

Makoto headed back to her own room to finish dressing just as Ami reached the last email in her inbox. The subject line said "Important Educational Video," but she didn't remember any of her professors mentioning they planned to send out a video. Figuring it was just spam, Ami was about to send it to the trash can when she recognized the sender's email address as belonging to Akira, except it was his official school address instead of his personal email which he normally used to send her things.

"Why didn't Akira mention he was sending us a video?" Ami wondered aloud as she opened the email. If it was from him, it was bound to be safe.

The nondescript email seemed innocent enough when she read it. The short message explained that he wanted them to watch the video by Monday and that they would be given a quiz over the material covered on it in class. Ami was struck by the thought that the wording didn't quite sound like Akira's writing, especially with the overuse of emoticons, but she decided to check out the link provided anyway, just in case he had asked one of his TAs to write it for him.

While she waited for the video to download, Ami set her laptop aside and went over to her vanity to run a brush through her hair. When she came back a few seconds later, it was already finished and ready to play.

"Bless the speed of technology," she said, grinning as she started the video.

That grin soon disappeared, however, once the video began to play on her computer screen. What was billed on the website and in the email as an educational video on chemical reactions was actually nothing more than a poorly shot porno starring a dark-haired man and a woman whose features Ami couldn't clearly see because of the missionary position. She couldn't even tell what color the woman's hair was, the hue seeming to blend in with the pillowcase, which might have been black or maybe a dark blue or purple. Blushing, Ami was about to close out of the program when something caught her eye.

At the foot of the bed, she saw a discarded teddy sitting on top of a small chest. It was powder-pink and very lacy, with a tiny red bow tied in the middle of the bust area. Though the image was a little hazy, she was almost positive it was the same model as the one she had worn yesterday, or at least something very similar. It even appeared to be the same cup size.

Actually, now that she thought about it, that chest looked familiar as well. Didn't Akira keep a chest at the foot of his bed for Mercury's chew toys?

And the sheets… Last night, they had made love on navy sheets just like the ones…

Ami went pale as she brought her hand to her mouth in horror. "No, this can't be…!"

Her worst fears were confirmed when the couple on the video changed positions, finally giving her a good look at their faces.

It was her and Akira…naked…making love…

Unable to tear her eyes away, Ami continued to watch the video, not even noticing when Makoto knocked on the door and popped her head inside the room.

"Ami-chan, you ready to head to the theater? Showtime starts in twenty minutes," she announced, a finger tapping on the face of her wristwatch. "We don't want to keep Itto-kun waiting."

When Ami didn't respond, Makoto came in uninvited and started waving a hand in front of her face. "Hello! Earth to Ami-chan! Time to take a break from that thing. For the next two hours, you are hereby forbidden to think about school or computers. Ami-chan? You hear me?"

"Huh?" Ami finally voiced, glancing up at a faintly amused Makoto.

Makoto laughed. "Boy, something sure had your attention. What are you watching anyway? The new GeSANG video? Can I watch too?"

"Oh, it's just something for school. You wouldn't be interested…"

Ami tried to close her laptop before Makoto could see what was actually on the screen, but, unfortunately, her roommate's eyes were quicker than her hand. Getting a brief look at the video, Makoto arched a surprised eyebrow in Ami's direction.

"Ami-chan, why on earth are you watching a dirty movie?" she asked. "I didn't know you were interested in that kind of thing."

"I'm not! It's not what it looks like, Mako-chan."

"Oh, really?" Evidently not believing her, Makoto plopped down on the bed and grabbed the laptop from Ami's hands in spite of her protests. "You know, I've always wanted to see why guys like these movies so much," she said, flipping up the computer screen. "Why anybody would want to watch complete strangers having sex is beyond me, but there must be…"

As Makoto's words drifted off, Ami shut her eyes and wished she was anywhere but there.

"Ami-chan?" Makoto's voice had lost the teasing tone, softening into one of concern. "Is this you?"

Ami nodded, unable to trust her voice.

"And the guy?"

"My…boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend." Returning her attention back to the video, Makoto frowned, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do I get the feeling I've seen him before?" she asked. "He reminds me a little of that picture of your chemistry professor I saw in that medical journal of yours. That couldn't be him, though, could it? You said your boyfriend was a businessman separated from his socialite wife."

Taking back the laptop from Makoto and ignoring her question, Ami closed out of the program and resisted the urge to cry. How could Akira have done such a horrible thing, especially when they had tried so hard to keep their affair a secret? Now, not only did everybody know they were lovers, they had photographic evidence of their most intimate moments, as well.

"How could he do this to us?" Ami whispered, grateful when she felt one of Makoto's arms wrap around her shoulders in comfort. "Why would Akira do this? We tried so hard…"

"He is that professor, isn't he?" Makoto guessed. "Kitagawa Akira-sensei?"

Ami nodded, realizing there was no reason to keep it a secret anymore. With the video's release, everybody would know about their relationship. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't want to lie to you, but we couldn't tell anybody about us. The school wouldn't have understood."

"It's okay. I understand." Pulling Ami closer, Makoto let her rest her head on the shoulder of her green turtleneck. The brunette smelled faintly of rose-scented perfume. "But why are you so upset about the video? It's just a personal thing between you two, right? Lots of couples like to film themselves…in that way. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Ami shook her head. "But we didn't. At least, I never consented to it."

"You mean you didn't realize you were being videotaped?"

"No, of course not! I never would have agreed to something like that, and even if I had, I most certainly wouldn't have given permission to release it to the public."

Dark green eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"It's posted on the Internet," Ami said numbly, still not believing it was true, "and he mass-emailed the link to the website."

"That bastard!" At the revelation, Makoto jumped up from the bed and began cracking her knuckles. Ami could almost hear the cackling of thunder between her hands even though her roommate wasn't in senshi form. "Where does he live?" she demanded to know, easily falling into her role as the soldier of protection. "I'm going there right now and kick his ass a hundred ways to tomorrow."

"No, Mako-chan, I'll handle it," Ami declared with as much conviction as she could muster. She knew what would happen if she let Makoto go after Akira, and, while he might deserve the beating of his lifetime for what he had done, she needed to confront him for herself first. "You should go meet Asanuma-kun at the theater and have fun on your date. I would have just been a third wheel anyway."

"I'm not going to let you go to that pervert's place alone! There's no telling what he might do to you."

"I'll be fine, really. I just think this is something I need to do for myself."

"Are you sure, Ami-chan?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she assured her. "Now, you better get going. You don't want to be late for the movie."

Makoto still didn't look convinced, but. reluctantly she left, though not without giving Ami another hug and whispering some words of encouragement in her ear. Once Ami was sure her roommate was gone, she then finally allowed herself to give into the emotions that had been steadily building up since she first realized what her lover had done.

She cried.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clicking the "send" button on the last bunch of emails with her mouse, Yui's lips curved into a satisfied smile. Finally, she was done. Soon, the entire school would know what an unethical slut Little Miss Perfect really was.

She had been pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to pull off her plan. With a little help from Hideki's "borrowed" textbooks and some research on the Internet, Yui had trained herself as an amateur hacker in the course of just one night. She wasn't about to break into government databases, of course, but her skills were adequate enough to steal Professor Kitagawa's password -- the obnoxiously cute "iluvami" -- and the email addresses of every student and faculty member at Tokyo University.

After that, it was only a matter of building a couple of simple websites to host the sexy video of the professor and his student. To lessen the likelihood of getting caught, Yui had created two different websites and three versions of the email she had sent out with the links.

The first website's link was sent out to the general student population under a fake email address she had created with the subject line: TU PROFESSOR SCREWS COED - HENTAI. Many of those would probably end up in junk mail folders unopened, but Yui knew at least 90% of her horny male peers wouldn't be able to resist the lure of free porn.

The second batch of emails, sent from another false address to the faculty of Tokyo University, provided a link to the same website, but she worded the email as a "concerned citizen," informing the faculty how distasteful it was that a professor from such a respected school would post a video of himself having sex with a student on the Internet.

It was the third bunch of emails Yui was most proud of, however. Using Professor Kitagawa's school email address, she had sent the second website's link to all the students who took one of his chemistry classes, including Miss Mizuno, making them believe that he wanted them to watch a video on "chemical reactions" for a quiz next week. Yui only wished she could be there to see the look on Miss Mizuno's face when she watched the video and realized that her lover had betrayed her.

Closing out of the email, Yui wondered if the so-called "girl genius" had checked her inbox yet. She had sent the email a couple of hours ago, so it was entirely possible. At that moment, Yui could just imagine Miss Mizuno sitting in front of her computer, tears streaking down her face...

The sound of the telephone ringing rudely interrupted Yui's fantasy, followed by her dorm roommate's helium voice from the bathroom, asking Yui if she would mind getting that. Grumbling that she wasn't a human answering service, Yui nevertheless reached for the phone and said a gruff "Hello," expecting it was another one of Yoko's male "friends" wanting to set up a date with the girl Yui not-so-fondly called the whore of Toudai.

Instead, it was her boyfriend. "Hey, Yui," Hideki said, his soft, masculine voice bringing a smile to her face. "I've been trying to call you all morning on your cell, but I kept getting your voicemail. Where have you been?"

"Oh, I turned it off so I could study," Yui lied easily, knowing Hideki would not be happy if he knew she had stolen some of his textbooks and spent the entire night learning how to hack into the school's computer system. Besides, it was partially true. She had turned off the phone so she wouldn't be interrupted while she pored over the unfamiliar technical jargon contained in the text. Luckily, Yoko had been out on one of her sleepover dates, so she had the room to herself for most of the night. "Big test coming up in calculus. It counts for nearly thirty percent of our test average."

"I should have known." Yui could practically see the knowing smile and slight eye roll Hideki always gave her when he thought she was studying too hard. "Well, I made it home. Kaa-san and Tou-san are sorry you couldn't make it, but they're hoping to see you next break."

"Huh?" What the heck was he talking about?

"Home? Kaa-san's birthday party? The one you said you couldn't attend because you needed to study?"

"Oh…right…" It still didn't ring any bells, but, evidently, it was something she was supposed to know about. He must have told her last night after they made love. Admittedly, she hadn't been paying much attention to Hideki then, caught up in her plans for revenge. She only caught the part where he told her that he would be gone for the weekend and the fact that she would be able to go through with her plans without worrying about her goody-two-shoes boyfriend trying to stop her. "Tell Matsuno-san I wish her a happy birthday."

There was a short pause on the other end of the line. "Yui, is something wrong?" Hideki asked. "You kinda seem out of it."

"No, nothing's wrong. In fact, I feel great."

"You do?" He sounded surprised. "You don't feel guilty about…you know? What we did yesterday?"

"No, of course not," Yui replied, bringing up the video on her computer. It sickened her to watch it, but, for some reason, she also felt a perverted sense of satisfaction in seeing the two ruin their lives on camera. "Why should I? It's our duty to bring Mizuno-san and Kitagawa-sensei to justice for their crimes."

"I don't know. It didn't really seem like either of them was bribing the other. They may really be in love."

"Love? Hideki, don't be naïve. The only reason why Mizuno-san is sleeping with our teacher is to get the top grades in the class."

"We don't know that for sure. We have proof that they're having a sexual relationship, but nothing that shows either of them have an ulterior motive for that relationship. Isn't it possible that they simply like each other?"

Yui rolled her eyes. The combination of the video and Miss Mizuno's grades was more than enough proof for her that something unethical was going on between those two, as she was sure it would be for Dean Tanaka. She couldn't understand how Hideki couldn't see what was so plainly obvious to her.

"Remember, we couldn't hear what they said to each other in the living room," she reminded him. "I would bet my entire scholarship that Mizuno-san offered to sleep with him in exchange for the top mark on next week's quiz. Dammit, we should have bugged it, too."

"Why are you so certain it is Mizuno-san who is doing the bribing and not the other way around?" Hideki asked. "If you're right about this -- and I'm not saying you are -- it could very well have been Kitagawa-sensei's idea, though I admit I never thought him the type to abuse his position that way."

"It doesn't really matter who initiated; both are in the wrong," Yui pointed out, though she still didn't think Professor Kitagawa was the one bribing Miss Mizuno. He was too respected a teacher to do something like that. "All we can do is show this video to the proper authorities and let them sort it out. If they're guilty, they will be punished; if not, no real harm done other than a little bit of embarrassment."

On the other end of the line, Hideki sighed. "I guess you're right," he agreed reluctantly. "Well, I'll let you get back to studying. Nee-san wants me to help her blow up the rest of the balloons before our folks get back from breakfast. We're throwing Kaa-san a surprise party."

"Okay. I'll see you Monday, Hideki. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, Yui turned her full attention back to the video playing on the screen, the corners of her mouth turning up in a devious smile.

"Mizuno Ami, prepare to meet your doom."

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Sitting down in his comfy armchair, Akira slipped on a pair of reading glasses and opened a thick textbook to Chapter 14. Since Ami had decided to spend the day with her roommate, he figured he might as well get started on his notes for next week's lectures. That way, he could enjoy spending the rest of the weekend with his girlfriend, who had promised to come over later that evening after finishing her own studying.

He was nearly halfway through the notes for Monday's lecture when Akira heard a loud pounding on the door. The noise caused Mercury to lose all interest in the steak-shaped chew toy with which he had been playing for the last hour and run over to the door, barking excitedly.

"Quiet, Merc," Akira ordered with an amused smile, setting aside his work as he rose from the chair. "It's probably just a neighbor wanting to borrow something."

Walking over to answer the door, Akira couldn't help wondering who it might be, though. Other than Matsuno Hideki, he couldn't say he was necessarily on friendly terms with any of the other people who lived on his floor. People in his building tended to keep to themselves, and he only knew a small handful of his neighbors by name.

The last person he expected to see was Ami, but, when Akira opened the door, she was standing outside, her back turned toward him. Akira, pleasantly surprised by the unexpected visit, smiled and started to embrace her when he noticed something was wrong. He couldn't be sure, but it almost sounded as if Ami was crying.

"Ami?"

Taking her by the shoulders, he turned Ami around, flinching when she shrugged his hands off of her. His suspicions were confirmed the moment Akira saw her face. Her normally porcelain skin was red and blotchy, and her navy blue eyes filled with unshed tears, some which she tried to wipe away with a lace-trimmed handkerchief.

"Ami, what's wrong?" he asked, again moving to embrace her. "Why are you crying? And why aren't you wearing a disguise?"

Ami rejected his attempt at comfort, stepping back from his grasp. "You know perfectly well what's wrong!" she accused. "How could you, Akira? I trusted you!"

"What?" Akira was at a lost as to what had gotten Ami so upset. Had he forgotten an anniversary or something? "Ami, come in before somebody recognizes you and tell me what's going on with you," he said, showing her inside. "I have no idea what you're talking about. What did I do?"

"As if you didn't know! The whole school's probably seen it by now."

"Seen what?"

"This!"

Heading over to his PC, Ami pulled up her email and opened a message labeled "Important Education Video." Much to his surprise, Akira noticed it had been sent from his email address at the school, but he knew for a fact he hadn't sent it. He never employed videos in his lesson plans, preferring a hands-on approach to learning and teaching.

"What is that?"

Ami clicked on the link contained in the email's message, pulling up a rather poorly designed website titled "Chemistry is Fun." She then downloaded the video file hosted on the site and started playing it with his media program, fast-forwarding through the beginning.

The second the video began, Akira started to feel sick to his stomach. He immediately recognized his room and the two people writhing together on the bed.

"Oh my g-- Where did this come from?" he demanded to know.

"Don't act so innocent, Akira! You know exactly where it came from, because you were the one who made it. Who else could have done it?" she asked, burying her face in her hands and letting out a loud sob. "I can't believe you taped us while we were… Oh, I can't even say the words!"

"But I didn't!" he insisted, resting his hands on her shuddering shoulders. "You've got to believe me."

"I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. I never thought you were the type of man who would do something so…so…disgusting!"

"I'm not! I would never do something like that. You know me better than that, Ami."

"Then who?" she challenged, turning around in the desk chair to face him. "Who could have made that video of us, Akira?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

Leaving Ami at the desk, Akira stormed into his bedroom and started looking everywhere he could think of for a hidden camera. Since the tape was made last night and he hadn't left his apartment all day, except to check his mail and take Mercury for a short walk, chances were it was still in there. Ami followed a few moments later, watching from the doorway as he tore apart the bedroom.

"Akira, what are you looking for?" she asked, her voice losing most of its accusatory tone from earlier. Akira hoped that meant she believed him when he told her he hadn't made the video. "You're making a mess."

"The camera," he answered, tearing down a favorite poster of Katsuragi Misato from _Evangelion_. "It has to be around here somewhere."

Looking around the room, Ami's bloodshot eyes stopped on the fire alarm mounted on the wall opposite the bed, and she pointed up. "What about in there, in the fire alarm? From the angle the video was shot, it's probably somewhere on that wall."

"Good thinking."

Akira dragged Mercury's toy chest over to the wall just underneath the fire alarm and climbed on top. At first glance, the alarm appeared innocuous enough, but, when Akira pulled off the cover, he immediately saw it had been rewired. A tiny camera had been installed inside, and, when he tried to press the button to check the alarm, it didn't even beep in response.

"Damn!" he swore, tossing the cover away in frustration. "Who could have done this?"

Over by the door, Ami wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders shuddering. "I don't know, and I don't care," she said. "Just get rid of that thing."

"With pleasure." Yanking the rest of the fire alarm off the wall, Akira smashed it against the floor, then jumped off the chest to walk over to where his girlfriend stood, quivering with unreleased sobs. "Are you okay, Ami?" he asked, pulling her into an embrace.

Against his chest, he felt Ami shake her head "no." "I feel so violated," she whispered, obviously trying to keep from crying again. "Why would somebody do this to us? I don't understand…"

"I don't understand either," Akira admitted, lightly kissing the top of her head as he tightened his hold around her waist. "Somebody must have found out about us and wanted proof, but who?"

Before either of them could come up with a possible suspect, the phone in the living room started ringing. Akira tried to ignore it, knowing that comforting Ami was more important than a missed phone call, which was probably from his mother anyway, but after the seventh or eighth ring, Ami pulled away.

"Answer that."

"No."

"You have to, Akira. What if it's the school?"

"All the more reason to let it ring."

"Go pick it up. I'll be fine."

Ami took a seat on the bed, wiping away her tears with the balled-up handkerchief in her hand, as Akira reluctantly went to the living room and answered the phone. As Ami suspected, it was the school -- more specifically, Dean Tanaka Kanane, the head of the College of Mathematics and Sciences at Tokyo University. The dean did not sound happy, barely letting Akira get a word in edgewise.

"Kitagawa, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded to know. "Today, I got an email from a Watanabe-san, claiming he had come across a website hosting a sexually-explicit video between you and one of your students."

"Yes, I know, Tanaka-sensei--"

"Do you realize what you have done? When word of this leaks out, and you know it will, our reputation as one of Japan's most prestigious universities will be ruined."

"I don't know how this happened, sir--"

"Is it true that you are carrying on an affair with this girl? Mizuno Ami-san?"

"Yes, we are in a relationship, but--"

"Meeting with the board, tomorrow at eight o'clock, Kitagawa. We'll discuss this more thoroughly then."

"Yes, sir. I'll see you tomorrow."

Akira placed the receiver back in the cradle and grimaced. He would not be looking forward to tomorrow, but he would worry about the meeting later. Right now, he needed to take care of Ami.

"Was that the school?" Ami asked when he returned to the bedroom. She looked better than before; at least her eyes were no longer watering with unshed tears.

Nodding, Akira took a seat on the bed beside her, pulling her closer toward him. "That was Tanaka-sensei, informing me of the meeting being held by the board tomorrow concerning the video."

He tried to sound as casual as possible, but the moment he mentioned the board, Ami's head popped up in concern. "A meeting?"

"It's really not a big deal, Ami," Akira said, hoping he didn't sound as worried as he felt. "It's probably just a preliminary hearing. Nothing major will be decided."

"But it _is_ a big deal," she insisted, once again agitated as she jumped up from the bed and started pacing around the room. "This is such a disaster. I'm so sorry, Akira."

"For what? None of this is your fault."

"Yes, it is. I'm the one who wanted to continue pursuing this relationship. If we had done what you suggested in the first place, none of this would have happened, and you wouldn't be facing the possibility of losing your job…"

Standing from his bed, Akira managed to stop Ami in mid-pace and turned her around to face him. "Listen to me, Ami," he said, "this is not your fault. Besides, it's really not that big of a deal. If worse comes to worse, I'll get another job. Hell, I didn't even want a teaching career. I only took the job because Toudai has such state-of-the-art research facilities. This was only supposed to be a temporary gig until I finished paying off my student loans and could start working on my research full-time."

"But you love teaching. Whenever I watch while you're lecturing the class, your entire face lights up."

It was true. He did enjoy teaching, more than he ever thought he would, especially after those two nightmarish semesters he worked as a TA while going through his graduate studies. What had started out as a favor from Dr. Nakajima to get him over a financial rough patch had turned into a passion of sorts. It would be tough to give it up, but Akira considered himself, above all, a realist, and he knew the termination of his job was a very real possibility.

"I'm not saying I won't miss it, but face it: The odds of me finding another teaching position when word gets out about this are a million-to-one," he reminded Ami as he took a seat back on the bed.

Walking over, she sat down on his lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. "What will you do if the school does decide to fire you?" she asked.

He only had to think a moment before coming up with a possible plan. "I have a friend who might be able to help. He was my roommate my junior year, and his father owns one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. I'm sure he can put in a good word for me."

"But what about your personal research?"

Akira half-smiled, forcing himself not to show Ami how really disappointed he was with the idea of giving up his diabetes research. "So I won't win the Nobel Prize before I'm thirty. It's not a big deal. It was a long shot anyway."

"I'm sorry…"

"Ami, how many times do I have to tell you that none of this is your fault?" he asked, lifting her chin to see that tears were again brimming in her eyes. "If anyone is to blame, it's the pervert who thought it would be fun to film a sex video without our consent."

"But--"

Before she could say another word, Akira brought a finger to Ami's lips. "Shh, I don't want to hear you apologize anymore," he whispered, picking her up and placing the light-weight girl on her side of the bed before joining her. "Just go to sleep, Ami. This will all look better in the morning."

 _I hope_ , Akira thought as he wrapped his arms around his lover and comforted her until she finally fell asleep.

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Sunlight filtered in through the window of Akira's bedroom the next morning, waking Ami from her less-than-restful sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, and immediately she noticed the absence of her lover's arms around her, his comforting body heat replaced by a blanket that she never remembered pulling over her.

"Akira?"

Alarmed when she rolled over and found his side of the bed empty, Ami, still dressed in the clothes she had worn the day before, tossed the blanket aside and sat up in the bed, her eyes darting worriedly around the room.

"I'm in here, Ami," Akira's voice called, much to her relief. The door to the bathroom swung open a few seconds later, revealing Akira standing in front of the medicine cabinet mirror above the sink, combing gel through his naturally unruly hair. He was already dressed in a pair of dress slacks and a freshly pressed white shirt, a tie hung loose around his neck. "I'm getting ready for the meeting," he explained when Ami shot him a confused look.

"Oh, the meeting!"

She had completely forgotten about the meeting Akira was supposed to have that morning with Dean Tanaka concerning their relationship. Jumping out of bed, Ami went over to the closet and started rummaging through the small wardrobe she had snuck over to his apartment for the mornings when she spent the night. There had to be something suitable for her to wear.

"I'll be dressed in ten minutes," Ami said, finally selecting a modest, knee-length white pencil skirt and a baby blue twinset and tossing them on the bed. She then began undressing, her nimble fingers making it halfway down the buttons of her wrinkled shirt before Akira came up behind her and pulled her hands away.

"I don't think you should come," he told her as he grabbed the skirt and twinset off the bed and hung them back in the closet. "This doesn't concern you."

Ami pivoted on her heel, confused. "What do you mean? Of course it concerns me!"

"Ami, please, I would rather you stay here. I can handle this by myself. Stay here, and try to get some more sleep. You barely slept at all last night."

"I'm fine," she lied, barely managing to conceal a yawn. "Besides, maybe if I talked to Tanaka-sensei, I could get him to understand…"

"I'll explain what happened," Akira promised. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you in a couple of hours, okay?"

Reluctantly, Ami nodded, and Akira lightly kissed her forehead goodbye. "Good luck, Akira," she said, giving him a small smile before he headed out the door.

Left alone in the apartment, Ami laid back down on the bed, intending to try to get some more sleep like Akira suggested. Sleep, however, was an elusive beast, and, after ten minutes of tossing and turning, Ami gave up and headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. While that brewed, she went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Stripping down, Ami could barely look at herself in the mirror, her eyes quickly glancing away when she accidentally caught a glimpse of her breasts in her reflection. She turned on the faucet, and, when the shower was suitably scalding hot, Ami stepped underneath it, a sob shuddering through her body as the water pelted her like stones being thrown at a sinner.

She felt so dirty, but, no matter how hard she scrubbed, the dirt would not go away. Her skin became raw and red, and tears mingled with the hot water pouring down on her, stinging the scratches.

Finally, when she thought she had cried enough tears to last a lifetime, Ami turned off the faucet and emerged from the shower, wrapping a large white towel around her body. She then headed for the sink, forcing herself to look at her reflection. As she expected, her cheeks were blotchy and her eyes were rimmed with red, contrasting starkly with the dark circles already underneath from a lack of sleep.

"Well, you look like crap," Ami said to her reflection, neither of them able to crack a smile.

After splashing some water on her face to wash away the remaining tears, Ami brushed her teeth and got dressed.

The coffee had finished brewing by the time Ami returned to the kitchen, filling the air with a pleasing aroma. She poured herself a cup, and taking a seat at the table, began looking over the front page of that morning's newspaper, though none of what she read sunk in.

Her thoughts instead were on Akira, wishing he hadn't insisted she stay at the apartment while he went to the meeting with the dean. She was just as much to blame as he was in what happened, so it was only right that she share in the punishment, whatever it was.

What was going to happen to her, anyway? Akira would no doubt lose his job, but would she be expelled from the university? Ami felt selfish for even having such a thought when Akira was more than likely on his way to being fired, but it was a logical concern.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her ringtone coming from the living room. Though Ami was tempted not to answer it, not in the mood to talk to anybody, she managed to drag herself to the couch and dig the cell phone out of her purse. A quick glance at the Caller ID revealed it was her mother.

"Hello, okaa-san," Ami said, hoping she didn't sound as miserable as she felt. "How are you?"

"Ami, we need to talk," her mother declared in a voice Ami rarely heard.

"About what?"

"I think you already know the answer to that," she replied. "Where are you?"

Ami looked around Akira's living room, wondering what she could tell her mother about her current whereabouts. "I'm…uh…"

"Are you at his place?"

Surprised, Ami nearly dropped the phone. "But how…? You know?"

"I have a break in thirty minutes. Meet me in the cafeteria."

"But, okaa-san…"

"Not now. We'll discuss it later. I'll see you there."

With that, her mother hung up, leaving Ami to stare at the phone in her hand, dumbfounded. Her mother knew about her and Akira? But how had she learned about their relationship?

Unable to come up with an answer, Ami put the cell back in her purse and swung it over her shoulder. She would get her answers at the hospital.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside one of the administration building's conference rooms, Akira waited nervously to be called inside, fiddling every so often with the knot of his tie. It was unlike him to be so fidgety, but he supposed even the most hardened criminal got a little antsy before the jury handed down the verdict.

That's exactly how he felt, too -- like a criminal being brought to trial. All that was missing was a pair of handcuffs around his wrists and a couple of guards by his side to make sure he didn't try to escape, an idea that was looking all the more tempting as the minutes dragged by. However, Akira knew he had no choice but to face the consequences of his actions, so he stayed, trying his best to ignore the whispers and dirty looks that were shot at him by his colleagues as they passed by the conference room on their way down the hall.

Seeing their reactions, Akira was glad he had managed to convince Ami to stay at the apartment, instead of coming with him to the meeting. She was already embarrassed enough over the release of the video without having to deal with public opinion.

"Tanaka-sensei will see you now," the dean's secretary said, coming out of the conference room.

Taking a deep breath, Akira stood and followed the secretary inside.

The conference room was one of the smaller, more intimate meeting places in the building. The only furniture was a small, rectangular table, which sat three on each of the long sides, and some chairs. On one side sat Dean Tanaka, along with two other school officials, to whom Akira respectively bowed and greeted.

"Good morning, gentlemen."

Dean Tanaka, who sat in the middle seat between the two other men, gave a slight nod. "Have a seat, Kitagawa-sensei," he said, indicating the single chair provided on the other side of the table, which Akira took. "These two gentlemen are Watase-sensei and Takeuchi-sensei. They, along with me, will decide what course of action to take in this matter, if one proves to be needed," the dean explained once Akira had settled. "Now, do you understand why you were called here?"

"Yes, sir. You have concerns about my relationship with Mizuno Ami-san, a student in one of my classes."

"I'm afraid it's much more than that, Kitagawa-sensei," the dean said, sighing. "Tokyo University has been hit by a wave of bad publicity in the wake of this scandal. We have always prided ourselves on being one of the most respected schools in Japan, but that image has been tarnished by the release of that sexually-explicit video of you and Mizuno-san to the students, faculty, and, now, the general media."

Akira was unaware that the news of the video had progressed outside of the school, but somehow he managed to outwardly keep his cool despite the fact that inside he was seething. If he ever found out who was behind what had happened…

"I had nothing to do with the making or the distribution of that video, Tanaka-sensei," he insisted. "I am just as embarrassed over the video as the school."

"Are you saying this is the work of another?" Dr. Watase, who sat on the right of the dean, asked. "That you and the girl were unaware that you were being taped?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any idea who might be behind this debacle?"

Akira shook his head, at a loss for a possible suspect. "No, sir. As far as I know, prior to the video's release, there was only one other person who knew of my relationship with Mizuno-san, and I assure you, gentlemen, he is not capable of something like this."

"Can you provide us with a name?" the other man, Dr. Takeuchi, asked.

"Nakajima Ryu-sensei."

"And how did Nakajima-sensei come to learn of your affair, Kitagawa-sensei?" the dean inquired, an eyebrow raised.

"He overheard me talking to her on the phone."

"I see." After writing something down on the pad in front of him, Dr. Takeuchi decided to change tactics. "Mizuno-san has been working as your lab assistant since September, is that correct, Kitagawa-sensei?" he asked.

Akira relaxed a bit at the seemingly innocent question. "Yes, sir."

"Why did you decide to give the job to her, instead of a graduate student as is the normal practice? According to her file, Mizuno-san is only in her second year of pre-med studies. That is somewhat unusual."

"I was desperate and needed a new assistant immediately," Akira explained. "My former assistant, Watanabe Jiro-san, was fired after I caught him smuggling experimental pharmaceutical drugs out of my laboratory. I offered the job to my students, and Mizuno-san was one of the few who expressed an interest."

"I see." Nodding, Dr. Takeuchi made another note before setting down his pen and folding his hands over the paper. "Kitagawa-sensei, was Mizuno-san qualified for the job?" he asked. "Or did you hire her solely on the basis of her looks?"

Akira, blindsided by the insinuation behind the inquiry, looked from face to face, finding all three men were staring at him expectedly as they waited for an answer. Did they really think he was that low, that he was some kind of sexual predator who knowingly went after young, impressionable schoolgirls? The way the question was worded, it sounded as if they thought he had deliberately planned to seduce Ami from the start.

"I resent that question," Akira said, his eyes narrowing.

"Nevertheless, we require an answer, sensei," Dr. Watase replied. "Was Mizuno-san qualified?"

"Of course Mizuno-san was qualified for the job," he snapped, forgetting for the moment where he was and to whom he was speaking. "I am conducting important medical research. I would not put that research in jeopardy by hiring somebody who was not capable for the job, and Mizuno-san is more than capable."

"Still, did your attraction to her influence your decision in any way?"

"No, there was no attraction in the beginning," Akira insisted. "I chose her because she happened to be the top student in my class and had some experience working in a laboratory setting. That's all."

"I see."

Akira braced himself for another insulting follow-up question, but it never came. The subject was dropped as Dean Tanaka picked up a thick folder sitting on top of the stack in the middle of the table and pulled out a piece of paper. The folder was clearly labeled "Mizuno, Ami."

"Let's talk about Mizuno-san's grades for a moment, shall we?" the dean suggested, his eyes traveling across the paper. "They really are quite remarkable."

"Yes, they are," Akira agreed, not without a sense of pride in his girlfriend's many accomplishments. "Mizuno-san is a very devoted student."

"I don't doubt that, but are you aware that in the entire time I have served as dean of the College of Mathematics and Sciences, a woman has never once achieved such high scores in a math or science-related course?"

"Times change, sir," Akira said, somewhat amused by the dean's outdated gender stereotypes. "Today's women realize they have the intellectual potential to match, or even surpass, men in traditionally male-dominated fields. In fact, four of the top ten students in my advanced organic chemistry course are female, including Yokoyama Yui-san, who is continually right behind Mizuno-san in the rankings."

"So you are saying you see nothing suspicious in these scores?" Dean Tanaka asked, handing the paper across the table to Akira.

Looking over the sheet, Akira saw it was a current transcript of Ami's grades from his class for the semester, each perfect score she received neatly highlighted in bright yellow. The highlighted numbers far outnumbered those that weren't, but even those unfortunate grades were exceptionally good -- nothing below an A. Shrugging, Akira placed the paper back facedown on the table and slid it back to the dean.

"No, I don't," he replied honestly, not quite sure what Ami's grades had to do with the matter at hand. "Should I?"

"You tell us, Kitagawa-sensei," the dean challenged. "How well do you know the three other girls you say are in the top ten of your class?

"How well do I know them?" Akira repeated, confused. "With all due respect, Tanaka-sensei, I don't understand the relevance of that question in context to the subject of this meeting. I thought we were talking about my relationship with Mizuno-san."

"Then allow me to rephrase. Do you know them as you know Mizuno-san?"

Suddenly, it dawned on Akira what the dean was suggesting.

"No, I do not," he declared, jumping to his feet, "and the fact that you would accuse me of such a thing is an insult. I do not make a habit of sleeping with --"

"We have not accused you of anything, Kitagawa-sensei," the dean said, raising a hand to interrupt his tirade. "It was merely a question -- one I'm sure you can quite understand considering the circumstances."

"But you do suspect me of seducing them?"

Dean Tanaka shook his head. "Currently, there is no evidence to support such a suspicion. However, in the case of Mizuno-san…"

"You believe I unfairly grade her because of our relationship," Akira said, completing the dean's thought.

"Considering the evidence, yes, the thought did cross our mind."

"I can't believe this!" Akira banged his fist hard on the table in frustration, causing some of the tea the secretary had at some point during the interrogation set down in front of him to spill over the lip of the glass and onto some nearby papers. "Are you so stuck in the 1950s that you can't even entertain the idea that a woman could possibly earn such high marks in a science course without having to prostitute herself?" he asked. "Mizuno-san earned those grades fair and square, Tanaka-sensei. Nothing changed when our relationship began. If you had truly studied these reports, you would have seen her grades remained constant throughout, not only in my class, but in her other courses as well. Are you accusing her of sleeping with her other professors too?"

"You are putting words into my mouth, Kitagawa-sensei. I said no such thing."

"Not in so many words, no, but you cannot hold me to a different standard than the rest of the faculty. How can you possibly judge me for giving Mizuno-san grades comparable to the ones given by, say, Azuma-sensei, and yet claim the other professor innocent?"

"The difference between you and Azuma-sensei is that you have a confirmed sexual relationship with the student and he does not," the dean replied.

"It all comes back to the tape, doesn't it?" Akira asked, eventually sitting back down in his seat. Things were starting to become more clear. "This is my punishment for causing the school embarrassment. It has nothing to do with grades or alleged nepotism."

Sighing, the dean reached for a nearby copy of the school handbook and flipped to a page marked by a yellow Post-It note. "The school does not expressively forbid relationships between students and faculty, Kitagawa-sensei," he revealed. "However, Article VII, paragraph three reads: Professors may not accept or ask for money, bribes, or sexual favors from students intended to influence the student's grade point average."

"So you intend to use that loophole in order to reprimand me?"

"If my colleagues agree, then yes, I would like to recommend the school take a closer look into this matter."

"What? Tanaka-sensei, you have no pro--"

"I'm sorry, Kitagawa-sensei, but as of tomorrow morning, you will be temporarily suspended from your teaching duties without pay until the university conducts a proper and thorough investigation into this scandal."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arriving at the hospital a few minutes before her mother was scheduled to go on break, Ami headed to the cafeteria and took a seat at the table in the corner where they usually sat whenever they met for lunch. Nervously, she wrung a napkin around her fingers as she waited, wondering how in the world she was going to explain her relationship with Akira to her mother.

There was no doubt in Ami's mind that her mother had somehow learned of the video. It was the only reason Ami could think of to explain the sudden summons to the hospital for a talk, but how did her mother find out about it? Makoto wouldn't have told her, at least not without asking Ami's permission first. The school? It was a possibility, but wouldn't they have notified her first if they planned to contact her parents? They hadn't even asked to see her yet.

"This is a nightmare," Ami murmured to herself, tossing aside the napkin which she had thoroughly shredded. "An absolute nightmare."

A few minutes later, she saw her mother coming from the food line and heading toward the table. The doctor set down her tray and took a seat across from Ami.

"Good, you came," she said, the smile with which she normally greeted Ami absent from her face.

"Okaa-san, I don't know what you know, but --"

"Please, Ami." Her mother raised a hand, signaling Ami to stop, then sighed, her face softening somewhat. "First of all, are you okay?"

"Okay?" Ami hadn't expected that, prepared for a lecture. "I guess so," she answered softly. "I mean, I was really upset yesterday, but I'm feeling a little better now." Glancing up, she stared at her mother. "How did you learn about what happened?"

"A former professor of mine told me," she replied. "We've kept in touch over the years, and he thought I should know."

"I'm so sorry, okaa-san," Ami apologized, placing her hands in her lap. "You must be incredibly disappointed in me right now."

Sighing, her mother reached for her cup of coffee and took a sip before responding. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't upset by what I heard," she said. "Dating one of your professors? A sex video? I don't know what you were thinking. How did this happen?"

"Akira and I never meant for anything like this to happen. We had no idea we were being taped. He's just as upset about this as I am."

"But you two have been seeing each other?"

Looking down, Ami nodded. "Since around the beginning of the second term."

"Oh, Ami…"

Her mother's voice was filled with disappointment, and Ami couldn't blame her one bit. Dr. Mizuno Saeko had raised her to be the perfect student and doctor. An affair with one of her professors certainly was not a part of those plans.

"I know our relationship is wrong," Ami said after a long moment of silence. "It was stupid of me to get involved with Akira, but he's a wonderful person. We care about each other very much."

"I'm sure you do, but he's your professor." Again sighing, her mother shook her head. "I knew I should have talked to you sooner."

"About what?"

"It's not important now," she replied, taking another sip of her coffee. "At least tell me you two were careful. You do practice safe sex?"

Ami's cheeks burned. "Okaa-san!"

"Ami, you were smart about this, weren't you?" her mother demanded to know. "I didn't bring home those pamphlets for you to throw away without reading them."

"Yes, of course," Ami said, unable to look her mother in the eye. She couldn't believe they were having this conversation. Despite the fact that her mother had always been relatively open when it came to sex, answering any questions Ami had as frankly and honestly as she would a patient, it was still embarrassing to talk about it regards to her sex life. "I'm on the Pill, and we use condoms regularly. You don't have to worry."

"Good, though I do wish you had told me about this. If I had known you were thinking of becoming sexually active…"

"It's okay, okaa-san. I remembered everything you taught me, and I don't plan to get pregnant until I'm married and out of school. Nothing is going to get in the way of my goal of becoming a doctor."

"I'm glad to hear that." Glancing down at her watch, her mother frowned. "I'm afraid I need to get back to work. We'll talk more about this later," she said, standing.

"Okay. Bye."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Damn it!"

Upon entering his apartment, Akira slammed the door behind him and plopped down on the couch, still shaking with anger over the dean's decision. He couldn't believe what had happened at the meeting. If he had been outright fired over the video, Akira would have understood and accepted that, but to make false accusations against him and insist on starting an investigation… That was low.

How was he supposed to tell Ami? Hadn't the poor girl suffered enough embarrassment over the last couple of days without having to deal with an official investigation as well?

 _Where is Ami, anyway?_ Akira wondered, for the first time noticing her absence. Considering how much noise he made when he came home, he thought she would have come out by now, anxious to hear what had happened at the meeting.

Standing, Akira headed to the bedroom and popped in his head. He remembered suggesting that she try to get some more sleep before he left, but he found the bed empty save for a slumbering Mercury, whimpering loudly as he kicked his hind legs. Akira came inside, and sitting down on the edge of the bed, woke the Corgi from his nightmare.

"Hey, boy, where's Ami?" he asked, stroking the dog's hair.

Mercury, unsurprisingly, revealed nothing about his girlfriend's whereabouts, letting out a couple of short barks before once again putting down his head and going back to sleep. Akira sighed and began changing out of his suit, wondering where in the world Ami could have gone.

He had just finished undoing his tie and unbuttoning most of his dress shirt when Akira heard a door close. Heading back to the living room, he found Ami curled up on the couch, staring off into space. He came up behind her and lightly touched her shoulder, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Oh, Akira!" she exclaimed, craning her neck up to see behind her as she sat back up. "I-I didn't realize you were home. When did you get back?"

"A few minutes ago," he replied, taking a seat beside her. "Where have you been? I thought you were going to stay here and try to get some sleep."

"The hospital. Okaa-san called me. She knows."

Akira nodded, the news not coming as much of a surprise. If the dean was right about the video having been leaked to the general media, it would have been only a matter of time before everybody found out about their relationship.

"How did she take it?" he asked.

Ami managed a small smile, though it was far from happy. "Better than I thought she would, actually," she said. "I know she's disappointed in some of the choices I've made, but mostly she was concerned about my well-being. She wanted to know how I was dealing with the release of the video and if we were being…safe. It was strange, but I got the feeling that she kind of understood, if not necessarily approved of, our relationship."

"At least somebody does."

Frowning, Ami scooted closer toward Akira, wrapping her arms around his waist. "The meeting didn't go well, did it?" she guessed.

"You could say that."

"Did they fire you?"

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "Apparently, there is no official rule in the school's bylaws forbidding a professor from dating a student as long as the student has reached the age of adulthood and the relationship is consensual."

"That's great!" Ami exclaimed before noticing the grim look on his face and pausing. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah, great."

Akira tried to sound relieved, but Ami saw right through his façade. She pulled away so they were facing each other. "Akira, what happened?" she demanded to know. "What aren't you telling me?"

Sighing, Akira's hand touched her cheek, his thumb caressing the soft skin. He wished he didn't have to tell her about the investigation, but it concerned her as much as it did him.

"The school didn't fire me," he finally said, "but I was temporarily suspended without pay, effective immediately."

"What? But I thought you said --"

Akira interrupted her before she could finish. "They want to investigate allegations that I offered you high grades in exchange for sexual favors, Ami."

"What?" If possible, Ami's porcelain skin faded to an even paler shade of white. "Why would they think that?" Gasping, she placed her hand over her heart. "It isn't true, is it?" she asked. "You haven't been grading me unfairly because I'm sleeping with you, have you?"

"No, of course not!" he assured her. "I would never do anything like that, Ami. You know that. If anything, I've taken to looking at your work more critically now that we're together."

"Then why would they think such a horrible thing?" she wanted to know. "I don't understand."

Akira sighed. In some ways, Ami was still such an innocent. She wouldn't understand the reasoning behind Dean Tanaka's decision to suspend him and start an investigation. "Look at it from their point-of-view, Ami," he said. "You're my number one student, as well as my lover. It doesn't look good."

"This is ridiculous!"

He was inclined to agree with her, but Akira kept his opinions to himself. "Ridiculous or not, we need to prepare for the worst," he said. "Especially you."

"Me? But you're the one they're investigating, the one who might lose his job. Compared to what you'll be going through, my part is minimal."

"Yes, but I'm afraid that things are going to get worse before they get better -- if they ever get better," Akira replied grimly, already imaging the fallout. "When word of this leaks out, and you know it will, people are bound to say some terrible things, and some of it will be directed toward you, Ami. They'll call you a slut and a whore, and, if the students believe that I gave you special treatment because you're my girlfriend, your credibility in their eyes will be even lower than the fabled boy who cried 'wolf.' Even if I'm cleared of the charges against me, in the back of their minds, your peers are always going to wonder if you really earned those grades or if you got them by screwing the professor."

"I don't care about that, Akira," Ami insisted, resting her head on his shoulder. "I can handle it. As long as we're together, we can make it through anything. Right?"

She looked up at him, waiting for an answer he could not give. Akira wished with all his heart that was true, but, the truth was, he didn't know if they could survive the public exposure of their relationship. Before, it had been easy. They hadn't had to deal with disapproval of their friends and peers, and, thus, had been lulled into a false sense of security. It was as if they had lived in their own private fantasy where nothing and nobody could hurt them, but the release of that video had finally forced them to face reality -- a reality that was far too cruel.

In lieu of an honest answer to her question, Akira kissed her forehead, a move Ami took to mean he agreed with her. A bright smile crossed her lips, and she snuggled even closer to him.

"We'll be okay," she insisted, and Akira hoped with all his heart she was right.


	14. Chapter 14

Monday morning, Ami lay in bed long after her alarm clock went off, reluctant to leave the safety of her room. Today would be the first day of classes since the release of the video, but though she had assured Akira the night before that she would be fine, the thought of facing her classmates, knowing most of them had probably seen the video, was unbearable.

"I can't do this," she murmured to herself, pulling her blanket tightly around her body. "It's too embarrassing. I just won't go. The professors will understand…"

A knock on the door interrupted Ami's monologue. "Ami-chan, are you up yet?" her roommate asked, a brunette head popping inside. "Breakfast is ready, and I know you have an early class."

"I don't think I'm going today," Ami mumbled into her pillow, not even bothering to look up.

"Why? Are you sick?" A concerned Makoto came inside and took a seat on the edge of Ami's bed. With motherly affection, she placed a cool hand on Ami's forehead and frowned. "Well, you don't have a fever. Do you have a headache? Cramps?"

Ami sat up, realizing it was pointless to feign sickness, and threw herself into her surprised friend's arms, choking back a sob as she buried her face in Makoto's generous bosom. She knew she was acting like a child seeking comfort in her mother's embrace, but, at that moment, Ami wanted nothing more than to be comforted and told that everything would be alright. "Please, Mako-chan, don't make me go," she begged, her voice muffled. "I can't go back to class. I can't face them, not yet."

"Is this about the video?" Makoto guessed, sighing as she wrapped her arms around Ami and tried to comfort her. "Oh, Ami-chan, you know you can't hide in here forever. Eventually, you will have to deal with what happened."

"I know, but the thought of going to class and everybody staring at me… I can't do it! I just can't!"

"But don't you have that big test today?"

"I'll ask the professor to give me a make-up test. I'm sure Azuma-sensei will understand."

"Ami-chan, I know you're embarrassed about the video, but you shouldn't let that interfere with your schoolwork," Makoto said, gently forcing Ami to sit back up on her own. Sympathy flickered in her forest green eyes, but her face was surprisingly stern as she delivered her lecture. "The Ami-chan I know always tries her best, no matter what the circumstances. Don't let this thing run your life. You're stronger than that."

"B-But--"

"No buts. Now, get out of bed and get ready for school," she ordered. "After breakfast, I'm going to walk you to class, and if anybody gives you any trouble about that stupid video…" Makoto pounded a fist into the palm of her left hand. "I'll cream them!"

"You don't need to do that, Mako-chan."

"It's not a problem. Now, get dressed before your eggs get cold."

After Makoto left, Ami realized her roommate was right. No matter how much she wanted to hide, if she allowed her life to be dictated by her fear of embarrassment, she would be letting the person who had taped the video win. Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed and headed to her closet, determined to find the least revealing outfit she owned. Fortunately, most of her wardrobe already leaned toward the conservative side, so it wasn't hard to find something to wear to class. She pulled out an ankle-length black skirt, a white button-down shirt, and an oversized brown cardigan sweater and got dressed.

When Ami entered the kitchen a few minutes later, Makoto arched an eyebrow at her choice of clothes, which were a bit heavy considering a warm front had come in the previous night, but didn't say anything. They ate their breakfast in silence, then headed off to the university.

"I don't know if I can do this, Mako-chan," Ami said as they passed a group of giggly, whispering girls. Though she couldn't hear what they were discussing, if the none-too-subtle points in her direction were any indication, Ami had a fairly good idea of the topic of conversation. "I can already feel the stares."

"Ignore them."

"It's not that easy. I feel so naked…"

Despite the unusually warm February weather, Ami felt a shiver travel down her spine. She pulled her heavy cardigan tighter around her body and blushed when she heard a low whistle as a rather attractive upperclassman passed them by.

"Perv!" Makoto yelled after the whistler, waving a fist in his direction.

"That's it! I'm skipping class."

Having enough, Ami started to turn back, but Makoto wouldn't let her leave. The tall brunette grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "No, you're not, Ami-chan," she declared. "You've faced worse than this before. This should be a walk in the park compared to the battles you've fought as Sailor Mercury."

"At least as Sailor Mercury, I had the power to defend myself," she reminded her fellow senshi.

"You just can't let these perverts get to you. Trust me, this will all blow over in a couple of weeks when they realize they can't hurt you."

"Do you really think so, Mak-AHH!"

Feeling a slap on her butt, Ami shrieked.

"Now, that's what I call one fine piece of ass," another boy, whom she assumed was the person who slapped her, said, a lecherous leer on his lips.

Ami was too stunned to react, but Makoto immediately went into action, anger blazing in her eyes. "Big mistake, buddy," the aptly named soldier of protection growled, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt and pushing the boy hard against the brick wall of the history building. "Who do you think you are, slapping my friend's butt? Didn't your mother ever tell you that's no way to treat a lady?"

"And just who the hell are you? Mizuno-san's girlfriend?" he asked, his eyes instinctively lowering to stare at Makoto's generous chest. "Man, what I wouldn't give to see some of that action…"

"You bastard!"

Makoto moved to slap the pervert across the face, but the boy managed to grab her wrist before she made contact. "Don't be that way, sexy. You haven't even heard my offer yet. How about 100,000 yen each for filming and a cut of the profits? I can make the two of you stars."

"No deal!" she said, kneeing him in the groin area.

The boy bowled over in pain, but, while most men probably would have given up after an attack to their precious jewels, Makoto's aggressiveness inexplicably seemed to turn the guy on even more. "Oh, a feisty one… I like that," he said between gasps of pain.

Fearing what he might do next, Ami grabbed Makoto's shoulder and pulled her away, not an easy task when she had at least a good fifteen pounds on her. "Mako-chan! Stop, he isn't worth it!" she begged. "Come on, my class is about to begin."

"Not until this pathetic excuse for a man apologizes to you."

"Please, you're making a scene," Ami said, wanting nothing more than to leave before they drew a crowd. Already, she noticed a couple of curious students passing by had stopped to watch the unfolding drama.

"Better listen to your girlfriend, honey," the boy said, smirking. By then, he had mostly recovered from the attack to his manhood. "Don't want to have to sleep on the couch, do you?"

"Do you have a death wish, buddy?" Makoto asked, breaking free from Ami's grasp and waving a fist under his nose. "Apologize at once, you no-good-sorry-excuse-for-a-human-being, or face the wrath of Kino Makoto."

"Oh, I'm so scared! Somebody save me!" he mocked, his voice high and girlish.

Some of the students who had stopped to watch the fight giggled, obviously thinking Makoto was no threat to the boy, but Ami knew better. Makoto hadn't earned a black belt in karate on the grace of her good looks. Even in civilian form, her fighting skills rivaled even most men, and, when Makoto was protecting someone she loved, nothing got in her way. The boy, no matter how much he may have deserved a little roughing up, wouldn't have a chance against her.

"Please, Mako-chan!" Ami pleaded one more time. "It's okay. He doesn't have to apologize."

Her pleas went unheeded, though, as the tall brunette pulled back her fist in preparation for a punch, her other hand grabbing the collar of his T-shirt. "Last chance, perv. Apologize to the lady, now, or else I'm going to rearrange that face so bad not even your mother will love you."

Fearing the worst, Ami tightly shut her eyes, but the expected punch never came. The boy, finally realizing that Makoto was serious, threw up his hands in surrender, and once she had let go of his shirt, bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry, Mizuno-san!" he apologized before quickly sprinting off.

"Coward," Makoto muttered under her breath. "Are you okay, Ami-chan?"

Nodding, Ami breathed a sigh of relief as the small crowd that had gathered around them started to disperse. "You really didn't need to do that, Mako-chan."

"Of course I did. Nobody disrespects one of my friends and gets away with it, especially a seedy lowlife like him! Can you believe he actually asked us if we would be interested in filming a porno together? The nerve!"

"Well, at least he's gone," Ami said as they continued onto class. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"Anytime."

A couple of minutes later, they arrived at the math building. Only a few people were loitering outside, but fortunately, most of them had their noses stuck in their textbooks, going over formulas and comparing answers with their friends. Ami's arrival was mercifully uneventful, and she began to think she might be able to handle class after all. Everybody was too wrapped up in the morning's test to spend valuable study time engaged in idle gossip.

"Do you want me to go up with you to the classroom?" Makoto offered as they climbed up the stairs to the door.

Adjusting the strap of the heavy book bag swung over her shoulder, Ami shook her head. "No, I think I'll be okay."

"You sure?"

"You can't stay with me the entire day, Mako-chan," Ami reminded her, though silently wishing she could. "You have your job at the restaurant and your own classes. Besides, I think I need to face this by myself. I can't depend on you to be my personal bodyguard twenty-four hours a day for the rest of my life. I need to find my own strength and deal with this in my own way."

"That's what I like to hear." Smiling, Makoto gave Ami a comforting hug. "Just remember, if anybody else gives you any more trouble, ignore the perverts," she whispered in Ami's ear. "They aren't worth getting upset over."

"I will. Thanks."

"Good luck on the test. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Breaking apart, the two friends went their separate ways.

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Akira was still in bed the third time his alarm went off later that morning, the bright red numbers on the digital clock reading 9:30 when he groggily cracked open an eye to check the time. The last time he had slept in so late on a school day, he had still been a student in college, but without a class to teach or papers to grade, Akira felt no rush to get out of bed, one of the only perks of his suspension. He hit the snooze button once again and rolled over on his side, pulling the blanket over his head to block out the sunlight that filtered in through the window.

He only managed to grab a few more winks, however, before he was awakened again by the sound of somebody knocking on his front door. Groaning, Akira rolled out of bed and pulled a T-shirt over the comfy sweatpants he had worn to bed, wondering who would be visiting him at this hour of the day when normally he was at work.

"Coming!" he called out as he headed to the living room, running a hand through his messy hair in lieu of a proper comb.

Opening the door, Akira was surprised to see his mentor standing in the hallway, holding a medium-sized cardboard box in his arms. "Nakajima-sensei?"

The genetics professor smiled weakly. "I heard what happened, Akira-kun," Dr. Nakajima said as he accepted Akira's nonverbal invitation to come in and handed him the box. "Here, I brought some things from your lab I thought you might want. Rumor is you aren't allowed inside the building, so I thought I would bring these by. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all. Thank you." Gratefully, Akira took the box, filled mostly with his research files and personal items like the photograph of him and his siblings, and set it on the coffee table. "I appreciate it."

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

Akira rubbed the rest of the sleep out of his eyes and chuckled, realizing he must look quite the fright with his unkempt hair, unshaved stubble, and mismatched clothes. "No, no, it's fine," he assured the professor. "I needed to get out of bed anyway. Being on suspension is no reason to sleep the day away." Getting one last yawn out of his system, Akira started toward the kitchen for a caffeine-fix. "Coffee? Juice? Tea?"

Taking a seat on the couch, Dr. Nakajima shook his head. "No, thank you. I can't stay long. I have a class at ten-fifteen," he explained. "I imagine you haven't had much rest since word broke, have you?"

In the kitchen, where he was preparing a cup of instant coffee, Akira shrugged. It had been a struggle to fall asleep last night when he couldn't stop worrying about the investigation, but, once he had taken some mild, over-the-counter sleeping pills, he had slept like a baby the rest of the night...and most of the morning.

"I manage to survive," he said, stirring the mug of steaming liquid. "But Ami…"

Sighing, Akira wondered how Ami had faired that morning. The night before, she had decided to go back to her own apartment to study for her calculus test. He hoped she managed to get more sleep than she had on Saturday night. She was going to need it -- not only to do well on the exam, but to face her classmates for the first time since the video was leaked.

"How is Mizuno-san handling things?" Dr. Nakajima asked, breaking Akira from his thoughts.

Coming back out of the kitchen, Akira took a seat in the armchair. "She's better than she was when we first learned of the video, but still… It's hard on her, I know. I can't imagine what she's going through this morning, having to go back to class for the first time since it happened."

"She's decided to go to class?" he inquired, surprised.

"Yeah." Akira smiled. "I tried to convince her that nobody would fault her for wanting to skip a few days, but she insisted that she wouldn't let some ugly gossip keep her from her academic responsibilities."

"That's a dedicated student."

"More like she's trying to keep up a strong front," Akira said, his proud smile dropping into a frown. "Ami's trying so hard to not let this bother her, but I know it's tearing her up inside. And now with this bogus investigation…"

At the mention of the investigation, Dr. Nakajima mournfully shook his head. "She doesn't deserve this. Neither of you do," he said. "To think Tanaka-sensei would accuse you of abusing your position in that way…"

"He knows it isn't true. His arguments are weak at best. Tanaka-sensei is only concerned with the image of the school, and he's using his accusations as a way of punishing me for the video, since he cannot officially reprimand me for my relationship with Ami."

"How did that video leak out, anyway? Was it yours?"

"No, of course not," Akira answered. He was starting to become annoyed by all the inquiries into the origins of the infamous video. Did he really give off the impression of being a guy who liked to videotape his sexual exploits?

"If it was, I certainly won't judge you. I realize the younger generation is looser about these sorts of things…"

"Nakajima-sensei, we did not make that video," Akira insisted. "Somebody taped us without our consent. I found the camera hidden in the fire alarm in my bedroom."

Dark brown eyes widened at the revelation. "You found the camera? Did you have the police check for evidence?"

"I, uh, kind of broke it." The confession was accompanied by a bashful blush over the bridge of Akira's nose. For being such intelligent people, neither he nor Ami even thought about contacting the police until the next day, when the evidence was already destroyed and it was too late. "Ami was so upset, and I wasn't thinking clearly… Not my finest moment."

"Well, do you know planted it? Did the pervert leave any other evidence behind?"

Thinking back, Akira tried to remember if he noticed anything unusual in the days before the taped encounter, but his memory came up blank. Whoever had broken into his apartment and hid the camera had covered his tracks well. The lock on his door hadn't even been touched, as far as he could tell. There was no sign of forced entry.

"I'm afraid not," he sighed as the door to his bedroom opened and Mercury walked over, licking the hand Akira casually dangled over the arm of the chair. "Not unless this guy could somehow learn to talk how to talk. Mercury's the only one who might know for sure who did this."

"Do you have any suspects at all?"

"Not a one. Other than you, nobody knew about me and Ami."

"Are you certain about that?" Dr. Nakajima pressed, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't it possible that somebody from the school could have seen you together?"

"I suppose anything is possible, but we were usually so careful…"

Setting down his coffee on the table, Akira was suddenly struck by an unsettling thought. There was, in fact, one person he had not considered who not only might have seen them together, but also possessed a key to his apartment: his neighbor/dog-walker Matsuno Hideki. However, the idea that the computer science major was behind the video was preposterous. What would he possibly have to gain? Besides, Matsuno was a good kid. Akira never would have trusted him with Mercury and his extra key if he had suspected otherwise.

"No, it couldn't have been him," Akira declared, unaware he had been thinking aloud until he saw the confused look on Dr. Nakajima's face.

"It couldn't have been whom, Akira-kun?"

"Matsuno-kun, my dog-walker. He's a college student who lives next door. He walks Mercury whenever I'm not home, so he has a key to my place."

"It sounds like he had easy access, then."

"Yes, but I can't imagine Matsuno-kun doing something like that," Akira said, shaking his head as he stroked Mercury's fur. "He's not even a student of mine. I only know him from living here, and we've always had a good, neighborly relationship. What motive would he have to cause so much trouble for me?"

Dr. Nakajima frowned. "Have you considered the possibility that you may not have been the main target?" he asked. "Maybe the person behind this mess wasn't after you at all."

"You mean, he may have been after Ami?" Akira felt sick to his stomach at the thought.

"It's a possibility. If the person behind this only wanted to get you fired, then why did he send that video to everybody on campus instead of going straight to Tanaka-sensei?"

"But who would want to hurt Ami like that?"

"Toudai is one of the most prestigious schools in the country," Dr. Nakajima reminded Akira, "and you know that competition to get into the medical school is fierce. Maybe this person thought that by revealing your relationship with Mizuno-san, she would be forced to transfer or drop out, therefore getting rid of the main competition. In any case, this scandal will probably significantly affect Mizuno-san's chances of acceptance into Tokyo Medical, no matter what happens. It certainly won't help her."

"Damn," Akira cursed, his hand balling into a fist. He hadn't even thought of that.

Getting up from his chair, Akira walked over to the desk situated in the corner of the room and opened the bottom drawer. Though he had quit years ago, he always kept a package of cigarettes on hand for times of stress. Today definitely qualified. After digging around the drawer for a few seconds, Akira managed to find an unopened pack and a lighter at the bottom and walked over to the entrance to the balcony, sliding the glass door open.

"Cigarette?" he offered, opening the pack and shaking out two cigarettes.

Dr. Nakajima turned around on the couch, a look of disapproval on his face. "I thought you had quit smoking those filthy things, Akira-kun."

Akira shrugged, sliding one of the cigarettes back in the box and lighting the other. "Old habits die hard," he replied and took a long drag, blowing the smoke outside. "You're welcome to join me."

The older professor kindly refused. "No, thank you," he said before returning the subject back to the topic at hand. "Akira-kun, what do you plan to do?" he asked.

Flicking his ashes outside the door, Akira shook his head. He still hadn't made any definite decisions about his future. He knew Ami thought he should stay and fight for his job, but the more he thought about it, the more he leaned toward leaving. It wasn't only his future he had to worry about, but Ami's, too. What would happen if the investigation found him guilty of unfair treatment? What would that do to her chances of acceptance into Tokyo Medical or any other top-notch medical school?

"I don't know," he sighed. "Maybe I'll resign, get a job a pharmaceutical company. This teaching position was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement, anyway. It was never my intention to make this my career."

"Resign? No, Akira-kun, you can't. You're one of the finest professors we have," Dr. Nakajima said, walking over to the balcony door and resting a comforting hand on Akira's shoulder. "I can't believe you would give up so easily. Teaching may not be your dream job, but I know you love it."

"I don't see what other choice I have. You know as well as I do that it isn't likely the board will change their minds. If it was just me this involved, I wouldn't mind the fight, but every time I think of what this investigation will do to Ami…" Pausing, Akira dropped his half-smoked cigarette and snuffed it with the bottom of his slipper. "How can I put her through even more pain and embarrassment?" he asked, turning around. "How can I allow her to put her lifelong dream in jeopardy? You said it yourself that this scandal might harm her chances to get into a good med school."

"The damage is already done. No matter what you do, nobody is going to forget this for a very long time. Even just the accusation that she was sleeping with you in exchange for good marks is damning in the eyes of the admissions office."

"I know, I know, but maybe if I bow out quietly…"

"…you'll never get the chance to prove your innocence," Dr. Nakajima said. "Giving your resignation is as good as admitting you're guilty, Akira-kun. Sure, it might save the both of you the embarrassment of the investigation and hearing, but is that really what you want to do?"

Akira, who had no immediate answer to his question, chose not to reply. Sighing, Dr. Nakajima lightly squeezed his shoulder before glancing down at his watch. "I'd best be on my way to class," the professor announced. "My lecture starts in fifteen minutes. I'll show myself out."

"Thank you for coming by, Nakajima-sensei. I really do appreciate it."

"Don't do something you're going to regret, Akira-kun. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

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All morning long, Hideki kept expecting Professor Kitagawa Akira to show up on his doorstep, demanding answers for what had happened. He had been away for most of the weekend, having gone home to celebrate his mother's birthday, so it wasn't until that morning when he had switched on the news that Hideki learned of the mass e-mail sent to every single student and faculty member at the school which had contained a link to a website broadcasting the explicit video between the chemistry professor and his student. The video had already been taken down by the time he got the link from one of his friends, but, judging by the announcement of the professor's suspension and the investigation into his grading practices, the damage had been done.

He couldn't believe Yui! She had taken things entirely too far. When Hideki agreed to help her, he never in his wildest dreams suspected she would do something so horrible. It was one thing to show the video to the proper authorities and let them take care of the matter privately, but Yui had set out to completely embarrass the professor and Miss Mizuno.

"What was she thinking?" he asked himself aloud as he stuffed some textbooks into his backpack, too angry to care that one of them was from the previous semester.

After zipping the bag and swinging it over his shoulder, Hideki grabbed a banana and headed out to the elevator. His first class of the day wasn't until that afternoon since his morning lectures had been cancelled, but he thought he would try to catch Yui between classes, since all attempts to reach her on her cell or at the dorm had proven unsuccessful. Besides, it was better than waiting around his apartment for the other shoe to drop.

When the elevator doors slid open and he stepped inside, Hideki breathed a sigh of relief. So far, Professor Kitagawa had made no attempt to contact him, which he assumed was a good sign. Perhaps the professor hadn't yet made the connection between the break-in to hide the camera and the fact that he had a key to the apartment…

"Hold the elevator!" somebody called out just as the doors began to slide closed.

Automatically, Hideki's hand shot out to stop the doors from closing on his neighbor, but when he saw who was heading toward the elevator, he silently cursed his good manners. It was just his luck that the man happened to be the professor himself, taking Mercury out for a walk.

"Thanks, Matsuno-kun," Professor Kitagawa said as he and the excitable Corgi joined Hideki in the small elevator. "I appreciate it. I overslept, so this guy is probably dying to go outside."

"N-No problem," Hideki stuttered, trying to force a friendly smile and failing miserably.

If the professor noticed how uncomfortable he was, he didn't show it. "By the way, I probably should have called you sooner, but there's no need for you to come by this evening, or any night for the time being," he said. "I assume you've probably heard about my suspension. I'll have plenty of time to walk Mercury myself."

"I was sorry to hear about that, sensei," Hideki honestly apologized. "Yui always said you were one of her favorite teachers."

"Yes, well, these things happen. I wasn't exactly blameless in the situation, dating one of my students," he admitted. Sighing, the professor ran a hand through his hair. "I wish I knew who was behind the making of that tape, though."

Involuntarily, Hideki gulped at the mention of the video. Was it possible that Professor Kitagawa suspected him after all? He had been nothing but friendly since coming onto the elevator, but who was to say it wasn't some kind of ploy meant to trick him into confessing?

In a slightly shaky voice, Hideki asked, "Do you have any idea who might have done such a thing?"

Much to his relief, the professor shook his head. "No, not at all. The intruder didn't leave behind many clues. It doesn't even look like the lock was picked."

"Maybe you forgot to lock the door that day," he suggested, knowing full well how stupid it sounded. As if a brilliant professor would ever forget something as simple as locking his front door.

Luckily, however, Professor Kitagawa seemed willing at least to accept the possibility, even if he didn't sound very convinced. "Perhaps."

The rest of their slow ride down to the lobby was spent in awkward silence, Hideki fighting against the strong urge to confess right then and there to what he and Yui had done, no matter what the consequences were. The guilt was just too overwhelming. The professor, despite his forced nonchalant attitude earlier when informing Hideki of his suspension, looked positively devastated, and Hideki knew it was all their fault. He at least deserved to know the truth.

Didn't he?

Clenching one of his hands into a fist, a determined Hideki opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, their elevator jerked to a stop, the doors opening to reveal the building's empty lobby. The professor tugged on Mercury's leash and was about to leave when suddenly he turned back around, holding the sliding doors open with one of his hands.

"Matsuno-kun, you didn't happen to notice anybody strange leaving or entering my apartment during the past week, did you?" Professor Kitagawa asked, causing Hideki to involuntarily jump. "I know it's probably a long shot, but if you have any information…"

It was the perfect opportunity, but though Hideki wanted to confess, something held him back. "Sorry, Kitagawa-sensei. I didn't see anybody," he said, shaking his head.

Disappointed, he sighed. "Well, it was worth a shot. Thanks for your help. Come on, Mercury."

The dog seemed reluctant to leave, staring up at Hideki with large brown eyes. If Hideki didn't know better, he would have sworn Mercury, the only witness to the crime, was encouraging him to confess, but, finally, the professor managed to pull the Corgi away. Exhaling loudly as he stepped out of the elevator and watched the two head outside, Hideki cursed his cowardice.

What had Yui gotten him into?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moment her psychology class was over, Yui jumped from her seat and rushed to Professor Azuma's office, her heart pounding in anticipation. The calculus professor had promised to have that morning's test graded by that afternoon, and, sure enough, when she arrived at the office, the balding, middle-aged man was posting the scores on the bulletin board beside his door.

Already, a group of her classmates was there, as anxious as she was to find out their grades. Yui quietly joined them, not interested in engaging in their uninteresting banter, and nervously gnawed on her fingernail as the professor took his time in tacking the single sheet of paper to the board.

 _Come on, sensei,_ she mentally prodded him. Even snails are faster than this!

Yui wasn't sure how much of more of the suspense she could take. That piece of paper would tell her if her efforts had been rewarded and she had finally beaten Mizuno Ami in the standings. Though she had surprisingly showed up for class that morning, albeit a minute late, Yui wasn't particularly worried. It was obvious from the dark circles under Miss Mizuno's eyes that she had not slept well the night before. Still, Yui would feel better once she knew for certain that she had beaten the girl genius, who didn't even have the courage to come find out her grade. Yui looked for her rival, but Miss Mizuno was not among the group that had gathered in front of the bulletin board.

Finally, Professor Azuma pushed in the final thumbtack and took a step back from the board, allowing the anxious students to crowd around the posting. "Congratulations, Yokoyama-san," the professor said as she brushed by him on the way to join the mob. "Good work."

Encouraged by the congrats, Yui pushed herself to the front of crowd and squealed when she saw her name on the top of the list.

"I can't believe this," she breathed, her eyes still narcissistically glued to her name.

Around her, the rest of her classmates were experiencing the same reaction, simultaneously congratulating Yui for her high mark and musing aloud about what had caused Mizuno Ami to have such a poor showing in the rankings. Curious, Yui glanced down the list for her rival's name and was unable to hide a satisfied smirk when she saw the formerly infallible genius coming in at a lowly eighth, barely managing to hold onto an A. It was by far the lowest score she had received in her two years at Tokyo University.

Revenge was indeed sweet.

"Yui!"

Broken from her revelry by the sound of her boyfriend's voice above the buzz of the crowd, Yui smiled brightly and turned around to search for him. She couldn't wait to tell Hideki the good news. Finally, she had proved that she deserved his love, and Yui fully intended to thank him for his help, already thinking about what sexy nightgown she would bring over to his apartment that night for the celebration. After what he had done for her, Hideki had earned a little action.

However, when she finally spotted her handsome boyfriend standing near the back of his crowd, his face was free of the proud smile she thought for sure he would be wearing, In fact, Hideki looked almost grim, his jaw set and his lips pursed together so that they formed a straight line across his face. Yui was confused, and became even more so when she managed to make her way over to where he stood and felt his fingers wrap around her wrist, roughly yanking her away from her classmates.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, Hideki?" she yelped as he led her down a deserted hallway. "You're hurting me!"

"We need to talk," he said, loosening his grip on her wrist but not completely letting go until they stopped in front an empty lecture hall. "I can't believe you!" Hideki snapped once he was sure nobody else was around.

"What?" Yui asked, honestly not knowing what had caused him to get so mad.

"What were you thinking, posting that video on the Internet and sending a link to every student and faculty member in the school? Are you insane?"

Yui rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe Hideki was getting so worked up about her sending those e-mails. "What did you think I was going to do with it?" she asked. "Keep it for my own viewing pleasure? You know I'm not that kind of girl."

"I thought you planned on only sending it to the dean. He's the only one who needed to know about Kitagawa-sensei's and Mizuno-san's relationship. There was no reason whatsoever for you to embarrass them on such a wide-scale level. Have you completely lost all sense of humanity in your quest for intellectual superiority?"

"Don't be so dramatic, Hideki," she sighed. "From what I hear, Mizuno-san should be thanking me. There isn't a guy on this campus who wouldn't love to go out with her after seeing that video."

"Yeah, because they think she's a slut."

"Oh, cry me a river."

Yui felt absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for her rival, though she did have some regret having to involve Professor Kitagawa, who had at one time been one of her favorite teachers. As far as she was concerned, Mizuno Ami got exactly what she deserved. It was about time people started to realize that Little Miss Perfect wasn't so perfect after all and finally saw her for the lazy whore she really was.

"Who are you?" Hideki asked after a moment of silence, staring at her as if they had just met for the very first time. "Geez, Yui, I don't think I even know you any more."

"Don't be silly. I'm the same person I've always been."

"Then I must have been blind to think I was ever in love with you."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"I'm saying it's over between us."

At those words, Yui felt her heart tighten in her chest. "What?" she gasped, positive that she must have heard wrong. "What did you say?"

Sighing, Hideki leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "I want to break up," he declared. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you've changed, Yui, and not for the better. I don't like this new version of you. The old Yui never would have gone to such drastic measures to get a good grade."

"You're being ridiculous, Hideki. I'm finally the woman you've always wanted, the woman you always deserved," Yui said, refusing to accept that their relationship was over. He couldn't break up with her, not when everything she had done was for him. "Didn't you see the test scores? For the first time, I was at the top of the list and Mizuno-san wasn't even in the top five."

"Congratulations. It must feel great to be number one, knowing the only reason you got there was by destroying the lives of two people who never did anything to hurt you," Hideki replied, the sarcasm practically dripping from his voice.

"Why are you acting like this? It's not like you're exactly blameless in this whole situation."

"Yes, I am partially to blame," he admitted. "I will readily confess that, but at least I have the decency to feel horrible about what we did. In fact, I have half a mind to go down to the dean's office right now and tell him I was the one who made the tape."

"You can't! Are you insane? You'll be expelled," Yui reminded him, blocking his path when he started to leave.

"There are worse things."

"Hideki!"

In one last desperate act to get him to change his mind, Yui threw her arms around his neck, but Hideki calmly untangled himself from her embrace and brushed right past her.

"Goodbye, Yui. I hope you enjoy being first in the class, because as of now, you are dead last on my list."

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On the small balcony outside his apartment, Akira took a long drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled as he stared down with disinterest at the teenage boy cleaning the building's swimming pool. It was the fifth one he had smoked since his conversation with Dr. Nakajima that morning, but, though he knew he ought to stop while he still could, Akira welcomed the calming effect the nicotine had on him.

And boy, did he need it after what had happened over the last couple of days. Between learning about the video and getting suspended from his teaching duties, Akira's stress levels were through the roof. It certainly didn't help matters that he wasn't even allowed access to his lab. Usually, work was his way of dealing with stress. Without that, who would begrudge him a cigarette or two?

Taking another puff on the cigarette, Akira heard the glass door leading out onto the balcony slide open and another person join him outside. He didn't even bother to glance behind him, knowing exactly who was there. Besides Matsuno the dog walker, who only came over when Akira was unable to walk Mercury, Ami was the only other person with a key to his apartment.

"Yes, I know it's a filthy habit," he said after she had finished closing the door behind her, cutting her off before she could say anything about the lit cigarette in his hand. He was not in the mood for a lecture.

Coming up beside him, Ami folded her arms on top of the cast iron railing and shook her head. "I wasn't going to say anything," she lied.

"Yes, you were," Akira said, the slightest hint of a grin crossing his lips. "I bet you have an entire speech prepared, filled with statistics on the dangers of smoking."

"You know me too well." Ami glanced over at him. "I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't, at least, not any more." Sighing, Akira flicked his ashes off the edge of the balcony and hoped nobody was out on the balcony below him. "Back in college, I used to be a fairly heavy smoker," he admitted. "It helped with my stress levels, yet didn't mess up my brain like alcohol and other drugs would."

"That doesn't mean it was any less dangerous."

"I know. That's why I quit after graduation. I only smoke now when I feel under pressure." Akira brought the cigarette back up to his lips and took one last drag before snuffing it out on the railing and tossing the used butt away. "So, how were classes today?" he asked, changing the subject.

Beside him, Ami shrugged and pulled the dull brown cardigan she wore tighter around her waist, as if trying to keep out a chill even though it was comfortably warm for February. "It went as well as I expected, which isn't saying much, but I'll survive," she said. "What about you? What did you do today?"

"I decided to turn in my resignation."

With that blunt announcement, Akira turned to head back inside the apartment, unsurprised when his girlfriend decided to follow him. "Akira, what do you mean you're turning in your resignation?" Ami demanded to know, closing the glass door behind her as he plopped down on the couch.

"I meant exactly what I said."

"But why?" Taking a seat on the couch, she stared at him in shock. "I don't understand. The hearing's only a couple of weeks away. Why resign now when there is a possibility that the school will allow you to teach again?"

"Come on, Ami, don't be so naïve. Do you honestly believe the school will revoke my suspension?" he asked, shaking his head at the memory of the meeting he had attended yesterday with the dean. "No, the board has already made their decision. The hearing is only a formality. At least if I resign quietly, maybe I'll be able to retain a shred of dignity."

"You think refusing to fight for a job you love will protect your honor?" she asked in disbelief. "If you ask me, I think the only thing quitting does is make you a coward."

Akira inwardly flinched at the uncharacteristically mean words coming from her mouth, but he didn't necessarily disagree with Ami's assessment of the situation. Maybe he was being a coward, but he had struggled with the decision most of the day and had come to the conclusion that resigning from his teaching position would be the best solution for everyone. It was the only way to salvage what was left of their reputations, which would surely be ruined if the school continued to investigate into their relationship.

"I've already made my decision," he declared. "My letter of resignation is written, ready to be delivered to the dean tomorrow, and I have a new job lined up for me at Awayuki Pharmaceuticals."

"Awayuki Pharmaceuticals?" she repeated. "But aren't they located in Kyoto?"

Turning his face away from hers, Akira nodded. "I'll be going down there this weekend to look for a place."

"You're moving?" Placing her hands on her lap, Ami was quiet for a long moment before softly asking, "But what about us?"

It pained Akira to hear the slight waver in Ami's voice as she asked the question he had been dreading to answer ever since he had come to his decision. He didn't want to hurt her, but surely she must realize what he had known all along. They had no future together. It had been wrong to pretend they could. At the back of their minds, they both should have known it would have to end sooner or later.

"There is no 'us,'" Akira finally declared, his fingernails digging painfully into the palms of his clenched hands. "I think it's best for all involved if we decided to end this relationship."

"Best for who? Certainly not best for me."

"Try to look at this objectively…"

"Love isn't supposed to be objective, Akira!" Ami exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "That is why it is called an emotion, and if you can turn it off so easily, then I have to wonder if you even felt it in the first place."

"Do you think I want to do this?" he asked. "Ami, if there was some way we could be together, I would do it in an instant, but there isn't. Even if by some miracle the board did decide to reinstate me, they would no doubt insist we stop seeing each other."

"You're probably right, but that doesn't mean you have to move to Kyoto. You could get another job here in Tokyo. Awayuki Pharmaceuticals isn't the only drug company in Japan."

"Stay here, where everybody knows I slept with one of my students?" Bitterness coated his voice as he recalled an incident that had happened earlier that day when he had taken Mercury out for a walk. "When I went to McDonald's this morning for breakfast, do you know what happened? This sweet old woman who lives on the floor above me came over, slapped me, and called me a pervert in front of the entire restaurant."

"It hasn't been a picnic for me either, you know," Ami shot back. "Can you imagine how it felt for me today, going back to class, knowing almost every boy I passed had seen the video and was mentally undressing me with his eyes? I won't even mention some of the lewd things they said to me, but you know what? I'm going back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next because I refuse to be a victim. I spent too much of my life dreaming of attending okaa-san's alma mater to throw it all away over something like this. I won't let this setback cost me my dreams!"

By the time she finished, Ami was practically in tears, her entire body shaking with a combination of anger, sadness, and embarrassment. Akira hadn't even thought of how his revelation would affect Ami, he'd been so caught up in his own emotions, and a wave of guilt and tenderness swept over him.

"Oh, Ami…"

Standing, he moved to comfort her, but before Akira could even lay a hand on her, Ami stepped back from his touch, shaking her head. "Don't touch me unless you mean it, Akira," she said. "I don't want your pity. All I want is you, but if you can't give me that, then I think I better go."

Though more than anything, he wanted to take Ami back into his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright, he knew he couldn't. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I can't do that."

"Then, goodbye, Akira."

Ami exited Akira's building, the tears she had struggled to hold back when she walked out the apartment now streaming freely down her face. She didn't even bother trying to wipe them away, although she knew people were staring at her as she passed them by. She was already the subject of the hottest gossip in town, so why not give the people even more to talk about? Her reputation was ruined, anyway.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Up ahead, there was a bus stop at the intersection where the road leading to the university met with the street Akira lived on, but Ami passed it by without a second glance. The last place she felt like being at the moment was on a crowded bus with a bunch of strangers whispering behind their newspapers and perverted businessmen trying to grope her behind. Instead, she continued walking, unsure of where she was going, but knowing that she wasn't ready to go back to the penthouse and face Makoto's inevitable questions about what had happened just yet.

How could she explain when she didn't even understand what happened? Ami thought they had agreed to face the scandal together, investigation and all. She had told Akira she didn't care what happened to her as long as they could stay together, so why was he so quick to give up without a fight? Worse, why was he so willing to leave her for another job in Kyoto?

Ami would have accepted it if Akira just decided to resign from his teaching position. It would have been a shame for the university to lose such a wonderful professor, and she might have been disappointed at first, but at least Ami would have understood why he did it. Akira was right; there was very little chance the board would reinstate him. Most likely, the school's investigation into their affair would cause more harm to their reputations than good, so a resignation made sense to spare them any further embarrassment. But the fact that he was willing to not only sacrifice his job but their relationship as well -- it hurt.

As she arbitrarily turned a corner, Ami wondered if Akira had ever even loved her at all. Maybe he was just using her for sex, and once the truth came out about their relationship, she had lost all her appeal as a piece of forbidden fruit. After all, it was human nature to want what a person couldn't have. With their affair out in the open and no need to hide anymore, maybe he had lost interest in her.

Ami shook her head. No, she knew Akira. He would never do something like that. Besides, she had been the one to insist they keep seeing each other after that night, not the other way around. Akira was the one who thought they should have stopped while they were ahead.

In retrospect, she realized he was right.

What an idiot she had been.

None of this would have happened if she hadn't been so caught up in the romance of it all, thinking she and Akira shared a love that rivaled even Usagi's and Mamoru's. She should have known better. From what little she knew of the senshi of the future, none of them were married or even had lovers, so what made her think she could change that? Maybe the senshi really were destined to never be happy in love, their lives devoted solely to the royal family.

"Stupid Ami," she muttered to herself, swiping the sleeve of her cardigan across her teary eyes.

Looking around to see where she was, Ami realized she had somehow made it to the Crown Arcade and Fruit Parlor. She had no idea what had brought her there of all places, but the familiar sights and sounds of the arcade's many games triggered a wave of nostalgia to come over her, reminding her of a time when she was still an innocent schoolgirl, her life devoted only to her studies and her duties as a senshi. Ami wiped away the last of her tears and headed inside, exchanging the money she found in her pocket for a roll of tokens.

Many of the games she remembered from her teens were gone, but one game, practically hidden in the corner, still remained: _Sailor V_. It had long lost favor with younger patrons more dazzled by the increasingly sophisticated visuals of the newer games, yet Motoki, who had taken control after his father decided to retire, swore he would never sell or throw it away, no matter how old and out-dated it became, as a tribute to the group of girls who had saved his life on more than one occasion. Ami looked around for the manager so she could say hello, but it appeared Motoki was out on business or in back, so she took a seat in front of the archaic game and placed a token in the coin slot to begin.

Despite the fact that she was greatly out of practice, Ami breezed through the levels as if she had never stopped playing. It didn't provide much of a challenge, but she had to admit it was therapeutic to take out her frustrations on the youma dancing across the screen. She just imagined they were Dean Tanaka and his other cronies on the board, feeling a sense of satisfaction every time she managed to get a hit.

She was so engrossed in the game that Ami failed to notice when somebody came up behind her, looking over her shoulder at her score on the screen.

"I see you're as amazing as always, Ami-chan."

Ami jumped, startled by the familiar voice, and missed hitting her target, which unfortunately gave the youma the chance to attack her instead, landing a fatal blow. As the "Game Over" screen popped up, Ami twirled around on her stool to face an apologetic Furuhata Motoki.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to distract you," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just so surprised to see you he-- Hey, have you been crying, Ami-chan?"

Ami brought her hand to her cheek, feeling the wetness of a tear running down her face. "It's nothing," she insisted, wiping the tear away.

"Nothing?" Reaching into the pocket of his ever-present apron, Motoki pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Ami. "It doesn't look like nothing. Your eyes are all red. Either you've been crying or drinking, and since you don't strike me as the sake-binging type, that leaves only one choice."

Looking down, Ami wrung the handkerchief around her fingers. "It's just been a bad day," she said softly, wondering if Motoki knew about the video. "I don't really feel like talking about it right now."

"I see. Well, I don't know what happened, but I do know something that might cheer you up," he said. Evidently, he hadn't heard the gossip. "I'm about due for a break, so why don't I take you upstairs and get you a smoothie? Your favorite is still passion fruit, right?"

"No, I couldn't--"

"I insist. My treat. My family does own the place, after all."

Motoki took off his apron and hung it on a hook on the wall behind the main counter. Then, before Ami could protest, he took her hand and led her upstairs to the Crown Fruit Parlor.

"Unazuki, one large passion fruit smoothie and a glass of green tea," Motoki called out to his younger sister, who still worked as a waitress there.

"Coming right up, onii-chan!"

The two of them sat down in one of the booths next to the large window looking down onto the street below. Motoki, much to Ami's relief, didn't try to get her to talk about what happened, instead filling her in on what was going on in his life. She tried to be an attentive listener, but it was hard to do when Ami kept imagining she saw Akira passing by on the street, despite the fact that she knew he couldn't possibly know where she was.

"Looking for somebody?" Motoki asked about the sixth time Ami glanced out the window.

"Huh?" Turning her attention back to her companion, Ami blushed when she realized what she was doing. "Oh, sorry, Motoki-onii-san," she apologized. "I'm not being good company, am I?"

"I don't mind, although I am a bit concerned. I know you said you didn't want to talk about what apparently happened, but you really look like you could use a friend right now. Even if you don't feel comfortable talking to me, maybe you should go see Usagi-chan or one of the others."

"No, not yet. I'm still too embarrassed."

"Embarrassed? Of what?"

"You really don't know, do you?" Ami asked as Unazuki came by and set down their drinks in front of them.

"Know what? Did you get in a fight with one of the girls or something?"

Ami shook her head. She wished it were only that. "No, it's nothing like that. It's a…school thing."

"Don't tell me the girl genius finally flunked a test?"

His pathetic attempt at humor at least got a smile out of Ami.

"My boyfriend and I broke up," she finally admitted.

"Boyfriend? I didn't know you were dating anybody. Usagi-chan never mentioned a word to me, and she usually tells me everything whenever she comes by the arcade after a hard day of cram school, whether I want to know or not."

"She didn't know. Nobody knew, except for Mako-chan."

"Oh, I see." Motoki stirred his tea and took a drink. "Well, break-ups are hard, but you shouldn't be embarrassed. Everybody goes through them. Just ask Mako-chan and Minako-chan."

"It's not that I'm embarrassed about; it's the reason why we broke up." After taking a sip of her smoothie, Ami set the cup back down and took a deep breath. Motoki was going to learn what happened eventually, either from Usagi and Mamoru or from a customer, so it might as well be from her and not some gossiper with all the wrong facts. "You see, my boyfriend was a professor at Toudai."

Motoki nearly choked on his tea. "You were dating your professor?" he asked after he recovered from his coughing fit.

Ami nodded. "Yes. That's why I couldn't tell Usagi-chan and the others. Mako-chan didn't even know who he was, only that I was seeing someone."

"I can certainly understand why you felt you couldn't tell them. Dating a professor isn't usually looked on too kindly by the school," Motoki said, his eyes widening slightly in understanding. "Is that what happened? Your relationship was discovered?"

"In the worst possible way."

"Oh, Ami-chan, it couldn't have been that bad."

"Somebody taped us, Motoki-onii-san."

"Taped you? Like on a date or something?"

Shaking her head, Ami looked down at the Formica tabletop and fought the urge to break down again. Why was she even telling him this? It wasn't as if they were ever especially close. Back when she first started coming to Crown, she had had a mild crush on Motoki -- as had most of the girls, sans Rei -- but that was about the extent of their relationship beyond the fact that he was one of the few outsiders who knew her secret identity as Sailor Mercury. He was a good friend to the senshi, but he'd always been closest to Usagi and Minako.

Still, he was being so kind…

"Then what?" he asked when Ami didn't provide any further explanation. Motoki's hand slid across the table to cover hers in comfort. "Ami-chan, what happened? It couldn't be as bad as you think. It's not as if they filmed you being…uh, you know…oh."

She didn't need to tell him that he had guessed right. Motoki withdrew his hand and sighed. "It was you, wasn't it? In the video they showed on TV? I caught the very end of the clip they showed, but even with the blue hair, I never thought it could be you. Oh, Ami-chan…"

Blinking back tears, Ami slid out of the booth. It had been a mistake to confide in him. Instead of helping her, it just made her feel worse. "I have to go," she said hoarsely. "Thank you for the smoothie, Motoki-onii-san."

"Wait, Ami-chan. Don't go!"

As Ami headed downstairs and back out onto the street, she was aware that Motoki was following her. She made it all the way to the street corner before he managed to catch up to her, grabbing her arm.

"Ami-chan!"

Ami didn't resist as Motoki pulled her into a comforting hug. It felt so good to be held by somebody, anybody. As she sobbed into the fabric of his shirt, Motoki whispered, "It'll be okay," over and over again until Ami almost started to believe it.

"I'm sorry, Motoki-onii-san," Ami apologized when she finally lifted her head. "I shouldn't be burdening you with my problems, not like this."

"You're not a burden," he said. "Come, let's sit down."

Motoki led her over to a bench in front of a nearby store, where they sat down and he handed her a napkin he must have grabbed from the fruit parlor before he chased after her. Ami used it to wipe away her few remaining tears, knowing she must look like an absolute wreck, and finished telling Motoki the rest of the story, somehow managing to keep her composure.

I see," Motoki said once she had finished her story. "No wonder why you're so upset."

"It's like Akira doesn't care about me any more," Ami murmured, crumpling the napkin into a tight ball in her hand. "I don't understand. I told him numerous times that I didn't care what happened to me as long as we could be together, so why does he want to leave?"

"I think I understand."

"You do?"

Motoki nodded. "This situation reminds me a lot of when Reika left for Europe," he said. "She was torn between pursuing her life-long dream or staying here with me."

Ami remembered. Motoki and his girlfriend had almost broken up over Reika's job offer, but, in the end, they managed to work it out, so she didn't understand why he was comparing that situation to hers.

"What does that have to do with Akira breaking up with me?" she asked.

"I didn't want Reika to leave. I wanted her to stay and marry me, but I knew that if she did, a part of her would always resent me for standing in the way of her dreams, so I decided to let her go. Maybe Akira-san feels the same way, that he will only get in the way of your dreams if he continues to stay in your life."

"That's ridiculous!" Ami exclaimed.

"Is it? You want to be a doctor, right? How many medical schools do you think would accept you if they knew about the scandal?"

"It's already public knowledge. Akira deciding to break up with me does nothing to change that."

"No, it doesn't, but, over time, people will forget, especially if the investigation ends and you two aren't together to remind anyone of what happened."

She supposed he was right, although Ami still thought it would have been better to let the school investigate them so they could prove once and for all that nothing illegal had happened between them. With Akira quitting before the investigation could even begin, they would never be able to prove their innocence. Even if the scandal blew over, would anybody ever really forget the allegations against them?

"But, hey, what do I know?" Motoki said with a shrug when she didn't say anything. "I don't even know the guy, so maybe our situations aren't so similar. Whoever he was, though, I think he's a fool for letting a great girl like you get away."

Ami smiled at the compliment, feeling a bit better after their chat. "Thanks, Motoki-onii-san, for everything," she said, standing. "I should probably be heading back home. I have a lot of studying to do for tomorrow."

"Yeah, I should get back to the arcade myself. Just think about what I said, okay?"

"I will."

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When her final class of the day ended, Yui headed back to her dorm, feeling grateful when she saw that Yoko was not there. According to the note Yoko had left her on the dry-erase board hanging on the back of their door, her roommate was going to a party and didn't expect to be back until morning, which was perfectly fine with Yui. She was not in the mood to deal with that helium-voiced bimbo, not after what had happened.

Yui didn't understand. Today should have been one of the happiest days of her life. Not only had she beat Miss Mizuno in the rankings, she had completely crushed her -- and in one of her best subjects, to boot.

But then Hideki had to grow a conscience and ruin everything.

Hadn't he realized that everything she had done was for his benefit, just as much as hers? It wasn't every guy who could say he was going out with the smartest girl in school. For the first time since they had started dating, Yui finally felt like she was worthy enough to be called Matsuno Hikdeki's girlfriend, but, instead of being proud of her accomplishment, he had broken up with her.

Strangely enough, Yui didn't feel like crying. That was the usual reaction to such an event, but she was far too angry to wallow in heartbreak. Grabbing a framed photograph of her former boyfriend off her desk, Yui raised it above her head and smashed it on the floor as hard as she could. Tiny pieces of glass flew everywhere.

Stepping over the mess -- she had forgotten to take off her shoes when she came in, so Yui wasn't worried about cutting herself -- she threw herself on her bed and buried her face in one of her pillows to scream without garnering the attention of her neighbors. It was cathartic to let out her anger, and when she sat back up a few minutes later, Yui felt much calmer. She cleaned up the broken glass, then walked over to the phone to call Hideki, hoping that he had come to his senses. She refused to believe it was truly over between them. Hideki may have been mad at her, but she was certain that he would eventually see things from her point of view and forgive her for sending those emails.

The phone rang a total of five times before his answering machine answered and Yui gave up, cursing and slamming the receiver back down in its cradle. She knew his schedule by heart, so she knew Hideki had to be home, screening his calls so that he wouldn't have to talk to her. Her left hand clenched into a tight fist, and it took all her willpower to fight the urge to go over to his apartment and sock him in the nose.

How dare he treat her this way! His hands were just as dirty as hers. Nobody had forced him to go along with her plan to catch Professor Kitagawa and Mizuno Ami in the act. He could have told her that he would have no part in it from the very beginning, but no, Hideki had willingly agreed to help her, thinking that there would be nothing to catch. Well, it wasn't her fault that he hadn't believed her when she told him that Miss Mizuno was having an affair with the professor, and if he hadn't even considered the possibility that she would take the video public considering her history with Miss Mizuno, then maybe he wasn't as smart as she always thought he was. He had no right to be act so smug and self-righteous.

The thing that worried Yui most, though, about Hideki's newfound guilty conscience was his threat to go to the authorities with what he knew. If the school learned she was behind the distribution of the video, she was bound to be expelled and everything she had done to destroy Miss Mizuno's reputation would be for nothing. She couldn't let that happen.

Yui began pacing around the small room, trying to figure out how she could stop Hideki from going to the dean -- assuming he hadn't already. However, the only thing she could think of was to get him to take her back, something that was not likely to happen any time soon considering how mad he was at her. Yui honestly had never seen him so angry, and, while she had no doubt that Hideki would eventually forgive her, she didn't have time to wait for his forgiveness.

"Dammit, this wasn't supposed to happen!" she swore, kicking one of Yoko's plushies across the room. "Even when she's down, Mizuno's still making my life hell. First, she steals my limelight, and now because of her, I've lost my boyfriend and possibly my future career. What do I have to do to win over her?"

The ringing of the telephone cut short her tirade, and Yui's heart leapt as she quickly ran over to answer it, nearly tripping over another of Yoko's plushies in her excitement. Maybe her luck was about to change.

"Hideki?" she said hopefully, bringing the receiver up to her ear. "I'm so glad you called. About this afternoon--"

"Yo, is Yoko-chan there?" a voice which obviously didn't belong to Hideki interrupted.

Yui scowled. That girl really needed to get herself a cell phone so she wouldn't have to deal with Yoko's boyfriends, if they could even be called that. She was tired of always having to cover for her roommate. "No, she isn't," Yui said in the most sweetly pleasant voice she could fake. "Maybe you should check out the Photography Club party. She won't be hard to find. I'm sure she'll probably be the one letting the guys take pictures of her topless. Goodbye."

She hung up the phone before Yoko's friend could react, not particularly caring if her roommate got mad at her for spilling the beans after her note specifically said to tell anybody who called that she was studying at the library. As far as she was concerned, she had done the guy a favor, just like she had done for the whole school when she revealed what a dirty little whore Little Miss Perfect was.

If only she could get Hideki to understand that…

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After her shift at the restaurant was over, Makoto headed back to the apartment with her boyfriend, walking hand-in-hand down the quiet streets as a full moon shone down on them from above. Normally, her romantic late-night strolls with Itto, who insisted on walking her home whenever she had a late shift even though he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, were the highlight of her day, but her concern for Ami took precedence over her own enjoyment.

She had been worried about her roommate all day long, ever since she left Ami at the math building that morning. Maybe she shouldn't have convinced Ami to go to class so soon after the video's release. If what had happened earlier with the future Hugh Hefner was any indication of what Ami would have to put up with from her fellow classmates, then it might have been wiser to wait until the gossip died down.

Oh, if only she attended Tokyo University!

"You're awfully quiet today, Mako-chan," Itto said, breaking the silence between them. "Busy day at the restaurant?"

Makoto shook her head, feeling bad about ignoring him after he had gone out of his way to meet her. "Sorry," she apologized. "I just have other things on my mind tonight."

"Like Ami-chan?"

"How did you know?" Makoto asked, her eyes widening slightly when he guessed correctly.

"Don't act so surprised. I know you, Mako-chan. Your friends are the most important thing in your life, and whenever one of them is in trouble, you worry about them. It's one of the things I like best about you."

Makoto blushed at the compliment, but, before Itto could notice, she looked down and started kicking a large pebble with the toe of her sneakers. "Today was Ami-chan's first day back at the university since the video's release," she explained.

"She actually decided to go to classes?"

"Well, she was a bit hesitant at first, but I managed to convince her to go. I thought it was best that she face the gossip head on, but now I'm not so sure it was such a great idea."

"Why not?"

Makoto told him what happened with the guy who had harassed Ami that morning. By the time she got to the part where he offered them both a part in a porno, Itto was visibly enraged.

"He did WHAT?!"

"Don't worry. I showed him exactly what I thought of that idea." Remembering the look on the pervert's face when she kneed him in the balls, Makoto smirked in satisfaction. He had gotten exactly what he deserved. "But what if somebody else bothered Ami-chan after I left?" she asked.

"After what you did to that guy, I doubt anybody else would try," Itto assured her, wincing slightly in sympathy. "By the way, remind me never to get on your bad side, Mako-chan."

"I did get him pretty good."

"See? With a protector like you on her side, nobody will mess with Ami-san."

"I hope you're right, Itto-kun," Makoto sighed, clinging onto his arm as they crossed the street to the apartment building. "Ami-chan has already been through enough already."

"I know. I still can't believe she was dating her chemistry professor. You really had no idea?"

Makoto shook her head. "I knew she was seeing someone, but she told me he was a businessman separated from his wife. I never suspected her real boyfriend was Kitagawa-sensei. I mean, sure, the other girls and I liked to tease her sometimes about having a crush on him, but we never seriously thought it was true. Ami-chan was always so…so…"

"Prudish?"

"Well, yeah. This whole affair came right out of left field. And the video…"

"Do they know who made the tape?" Itto asked, pushing the "UP" button for the elevator.

"No, not a clue. Ami-chan says it wasn't Kitagawa-sensei, but I don't know who else would have known about them. I live with Ami-chan and I didn't even know, so it seems unlikely that somebody else would have found out. They did a pretty good job keeping their relationship a secret until the tape was released."

"Could it have been the pervert from earlier? The one who wanted to film the porno?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Makoto boarded the elevator as the doors slid open, Itto right behind her. "Anything is possible, I suppose," she said, "but I don't think so. Ami-chan didn't seem to recognize him, and he didn't mention anything about it. Most likely, he was just somebody who happened to see the video."

"Well, I hope they find whoever is behind this."

"Me, too."

A couple of seconds later, the elevator stopped on the top floor of the building. Silently, Makoto and Itto got off together and walked over to the door of the penthouse.

"Well, here we are," she said, digging in her purse for her keys when she saw that the door was locked. "Sorry, Itto-kun. I would invite you in, but…"

Itto held up his hand, interrupting before she could finish. "No need to explain," he said. "I understand. You need to focus on Ami-san."

"Thanks." Glad that he understood, Makoto smiled and lightly caressed his cheek. She really did have the best boyfriend in the world. "I really am lucky to have you in my life. You know that, right?"

"No, I'm the lucky one," he insisted, chastely kissing her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mako-chan."

"Good night."

Once Itto had left, Makoto turned around and unlocked the door. "I'm home!" she called out, entering the apartment. "Ami-chan? Are you home?"

Though a lamp in the living room was turned on and Makoto saw the half-eaten remnants of a cup of ramen noodles laying on the coffee table, her roommate was nowhere in sight. Makoto picked up the trash, and after tossing it away, she headed toward Ami's bedroom, wondering if she had already gone to bed. Pressing an ear against the wooden door, Makoto could just barely make out what sounded like weeping on the other side.

"Ami-chan?" Makoto hesitantly knocked on the door, unsure if she should bother Ami when she was obviously upset about something. "Ami-chan, it's me. Can I come in?"

There was no answer.

Makoto started to head toward her own room, but her concern for her roommate caused her to turn back. Even if Ami wanted to be alone, she ought to make sure she was at least okay.

Quietly, Makoto opened the door and peeked inside. She found Ami laying face down, her head facing toward the foot of the bed. Laying beside her was an opened textbook and a pack of multi-colored highlighters, but only a couple of lines on the page had been highlighted in an half-hearted attempt at studying. Makoto walked over to the bed and closed the book, setting it aside on the nightstand. She then took a seat on the edge of the mattress and began rubbing her friend's back, Ami's muffled sobs breaking her heart.

"Ami-chan, what's wrong?" she finally asked, her voice soft and full of concern. "Did something happen at school?"

Her roommate shook her head but didn't look up from the pillow she had buried her face in. "School was fine," Ami said, or at least that was what Makoto thought she said. It was hard to tell when her mouth was covered.

"Oh." That was good, at least. Makoto supposed news of her near-rumble with the pervert had done its job of preventing any more major harassment from Ami's classmates over the video. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you, then?" she asked. "I mean, if you don't, that's fine. I can leave if you want…"

"No, don't go." One of Ami's hands shot out from underneath her pillow, grabbing Makoto's wrist before she could stand. Unable to move, Makoto sat there until Ami's head finally rose from the pillow, her eyes rimmed with red and her skin blotchy. "Don't go," she reiterated again, her voice lowered to a soft whisper. "Please, Mako-chan, don't go."

Makoto couldn't help thinking Ami sounded like a little girl begging her mommy not to leave her on the first day of school. She felt a strong wave of maternal instinct come over her, and letting Ami rest her head in her lap, Makoto affectionately petted her messy blue hair and whispered what she hoped were words of comfort until Ami had finished crying what was left of her tears.

"I'm sorry, Mako-chan," Ami apologized, sitting up and swiping the sleeve of her cardigan over her watery eyes. "I didn't mean--"

"It's okay," Makoto assured her. "I didn't mind."

Ami stood from the bed and went over to her vanity, grabbing a couple of tissues from the box sitting on the table. "I look an absolute mess," she said as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, trying her best to blot away the evidence of her moment of weakness. It didn't help much.

"What happened?" Makoto asked again.

At her question, Ami stopped in mid-blot, crumpling her tissue and tossing it into a nearby wastebasket. For a long moment, she was silent, but eventually, she turned back around to face Makoto, the look of absolute heartbreak on her face. Even before Ami said the words aloud, Makoto knew what had happened.

"Oh, Ami-chan…"

Going over to her friend, Makoto pulled Ami into a tight hug and began rocking the smaller girl back and forth as a fresh batch of tears started running down her face.

"H-He left me, Mako-chan," Ami said, barely able to get the words out of her mouth. "Akira broke up with me and he's moving to Kyoto. After everything we've been through, he just threw it all away…"

Makoto shushed her, her emotions alternating between concern for Ami and a raging anger toward the man who had caused her best friend such pain. How dare he break up with Ami after everything had happened! She had met more than her share of jerks in her lifetime, but Professor Kitagawa just about took the cake. What kind of guy dumped a girl after the kind of public embarrassment he had put her through?

"You want me to go break his kneecaps for you?" Makoto offered, only partially joking. "Because I will. All you have to do is say the word, and I'll go over to his apartment right now…"

Against her shoulder, she felt Ami shake her head "no."

"It's okay, Mako-chan. It's not his fault, not really."

"What do you mean it's not his fault? Don't tell me you're blaming yourself for what happened."

"No, it's not really anybody's fault." Sniffling, Ami pulled out of Makoto's embrace and took a seat back on the bed after grabbing another tissue from the box. "Maybe our love just wasn't meant to be. Maybe this is fate's way of telling me that I'm not meant to have a love life."

"I don't believe that for a second," Makoto declared, as much for her sake as for Ami's. She didn't like to admit it, but, in the past, she had often had that same fear, that she and the other senshi were destined to live the rest of their lives without experiencing the kind of love Usagi and Mamoru shared. Of course, that was before she started dating Itto. She didn't worry as much about it now, but occasionally the voice in the back of her mind would speak up and remind her that love didn't always last forever.

At the moment, the voice was almost deafening.

"How can you be so sure?" Ami demanded to know, looking up at Makoto.

"Because I believe there's somebody out there for everybody, even us senshi," Makoto replied, forcing herself to ignore the voice. "Some people might never find that special someone, but that doesn't mean that person doesn't exist. All you have to do is find him, Ami-chan."

"But I thought I had," she groaned

With a loud sigh, Ami fell back on her neatly-made bed and hugged a pillow tightly to her chest. Despite the situation, Makoto couldn't help being a little bit amused. After years of being completely devoted to her studies, it was kind of comforting to know that even bookworm Ami could act like a regular twenty-year-old girl on occasion.

"Well, maybe Kitagawa-sensei just wasn't the guy you were meant to be with," Makoto said, taking a seat beside her roommate on the bed. "I mean, he is almost a decade older than you, and he was your professor… You have to admit it wasn't the most ideal relationship."

"Some people might say that you and Asanuma-kun don't have an ideal relationship either, Mako-chan," Ami said. "He's a year younger than you, isn't he?"

Makoto frowned. "You don't think that's strange, do you? I mean, some of Itto-kun's friends like to tease him about his 'older woman,' but you never said anything…"

"Oh, no, of course I don't!" Ami sat back up, shaking her head. "I didn't mean that at all. I think you two have a great relationship, and Asanuma-kun's a wonderful guy. I only meant that just because two people don't necessarily fit into society's idea of what a couple should be doesn't mean that they can't have a successful relationship. It didn't matter to me that there was a large age difference between us or that Akira was my teacher, just like it doesn't matter to you that Asanuma-kun is one year younger than you. I loved him for who he was."

"You really did, didn't you?"

Ami nodded, reaching for the drawer to her nightstand and pulling out a framed photograph Makoto had never seen before. It appeared to have been taken at the shrine where Ami had gone for New Year's; Makoto recognized the scenery from some of the other boyfriend-free photos Ami had shown her of her holiday trip. Ami was dressed up in the beautiful blue kimono Makoto had made for her, and the man next to her -- Professor Kitagawa -- looked very handsome in his tailored suit.

"He's not the jerk you think he is, Mako-chan," Ami said softly, her eyes not looking up from the picture she held. "I know you still think he was behind the video's release, but he wasn't. Akira's just as embarrassed about the whole thing as I am, and he's trying his best to do what he thinks is right."

"By leaving you? If you ask me, he sounds like a coward. If Kitagawa-sensei really loved you, wouldn't he do everything in his power to stay with you?"

"Not if he thought I was better off without him." Sighing, Ami placed the picture frame facedown on her nightstand and stood up to look out her window. "I didn't really understand it until I talked with Motoki-onii-san, but I guess sometimes when you love someone, you have to know when to let them go, even if you don't want to. I realize that now," she said, pulling back one of the curtains. "The scandal has put Akira in a bad spot. The school board's already suspended him, and he will more than likely be fired once the investigation is over. His reputation is ruined, so who am I to stand in the way of his fresh start?"

"But what about you?" Makoto asked, her hands unconsciously balling into fists at the unfairness of it all. Why was she making excuses for him? "What about your fresh start, Ami-chan? Your reputation is as shot as his. Why does he get to run off to another city while you stay behind to deal with the fallout of this mess?"

Much to Makoto's surprise, Ami actually looked over her shoulder and smiled. It wasn't a happy smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I guess I'm too stubborn," Ami said, turning back around to face Makoto. "I'm not willing to leave Toudai, not even for him. It would be easy for us to run away together, for me to transfer to a Kyoto school and him to take his new job at Awayuki Pharmaceuticals, but would either of us be truly happy? I would be giving up my dream of graduating from okaa-san's alma mater just for him, meaning Akira would have to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. And I can't force him to stay in Tokyo when he's likely out of a job and the whole city thinks he's a pervert who took advantage of his student. That would be selfish of me. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe Akira was right. It probably is for the best that we don't see each other anymore. Even if he did stay here with me, people will never accept our relationship."

"You don't know that. Maybe if he actually stayed and fought whatever charges the school board is making instead of running away with his tail between his legs, you two could convince everybody that there was nothing dirty about your relationship."

Ami shook her head. "Mako-chan, it's a nice thought, but I don't see that happening," she said, sitting back down on the bed and reaching for the book Makoto had set aside. "I just have to accept that this was for the best. That's the only way I'll get through this. Thank you for your sympathy, but I'm fine now. I should probably get back to work on my studies."

"Are you sure?"

Makoto had a sneaking suspicion that Ami was only saying that so she would leave, but the blue-haired girl nodded as she moved to sit against the headboard and turned back to the page where she left off.

"Well, then, good night," Makoto said as she stood up, reluctant to leave but honoring Ami's wishes. "Just remember, if you ever want to talk--"

"--you'll be there."


	15. Chapter 15

"Tanaka-sensei will see you in a few minutes, Kitagawa-sensei. Would you care for some coffee or tea while you wait?"

Shaking his head "no," Akira thanked Dean Tanaka's secretary and took a seat in one of the chairs against the wall. Much to his relief, he was the only one waiting to see the dean that afternoon. The rest of the chairs were empty and silent. It was best that he did this with as little fanfare as possible.

While he waited to be called, Akira reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a long, sealed white envelope. He exhaled loudly, the envelope in his hands seeming much weightier than physically possible.

Inside was his letter of resignation, neatly typed and signed with his signature. He had considered just leaving it with the dean's secretary, but Akira wanted to see Dean Tanaka himself, to ask him not to punish Ami in exchange for his resignation. That was the only way he would be able to leave with a clear conscience.

He still couldn't believe it had come to this. In the end, he had lost both his job and Ami, but no matter what, Akira was determined that Ami would not go down with him. She didn't deserve to see her lifelong dream go down the tubes because of him. He at least owed her that much.

Akira only wished Ami understood he was doing this for her, not to hurt her. He barely got a wink of sleep the night before, the miserable look on her face right before she left his apartment appearing in his mind every time he tried to close his eyes.

In retrospect, he had probably not handled things as well as he could have. Akira regretted telling her his plans the way he did, though not the plans themselves. He knew he was doing the right thing by resigning from the university and taking the job in Kyoto. With him gone, the scandal would eventually become yesterday's news and Ami would be able to get on with her life, to go on to Tokyo Medical and maybe even find a nice guy she would be proud to call her boyfriend.

As for him… Well, he would be fine. Awayuki was the leading pharmaceutical company in the country, on the cutting edge when it came to research and development. When they heard about his diabetes research, they had practically begged Akira to come work for them, offering him a salary almost three times the amount he made as a professor. Professionally, things couldn't be looking better. Maybe the scandal was just what he needed to give him the extra push in the direction of his true goals. He had always known the teaching gig wasn't forever.

So why wasn't he excited? No more lectures, no more grading papers, no more boring department faculty meetings -- he would have all the time in the world to focus on his research. Granted, Akira would have preferred to continue his work independently, without having to deal with corporate heads who knew absolutely nothing about medicine and only cared about the almighty yen, but it was a minor price to pay for access to even more advanced labs and some of the most brilliant minds in Japan.

He shook his head, already knowing the answer to that question. How could he be happy about the job offer when it was taking him away from the woman he loved? All the money and prestige in the world couldn't begin to compensate for a sacrifice that huge.

"Oh, Ami," he murmured, causing the secretary to look over briefly from her computer screen before she resumed her typing.

Sighing, Akira ran a hand through his hair, the letter dangling over the armrest from his other hand and tapping against the side of the chair. Had he really made the right decision in deciding to quit? Or was Dr. Nakajima right when he said the damage was already done and that his resignation would probably amount to nothing except as an admission of guilt? Was he really willing to sacrifice his relationship with Ami and a job he loved without even putting up a fight to keep them?

If he was, he probably didn't even deserve them in the first place.

Akira had always prided himself as being a realist, but he was starting to see there was a difference between his pessimistic realism and Ami's more optimistic outlook on things. Ami probably knew as well as he did the most likely outcome if they were to stay together and fight the board's decision, but, still, that didn't kill her hope that things might turn in their favor.

Was it really that bad to have a little faith?

In the end, wasn't that what love was all about?

"Kitagawa-sensei, the dean will see you now," the secretary announced, interrupting his thoughts.

Standing, Akira started toward the door to Dean Tanaka's office but couldn't bring himself to go in. Instead, he took the envelope he was still holding and tore it neatly in half.

He knew what he needed to do.

"Tell Tanaka-sensei I'll see him at the hearing," he told the surprised secretary after throwing the two pieces of the letter into the wastebasket beside her desk. "Sorry for taking up your time."

With that, Akira left, hoping it wasn't too late to make things right.

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Leaving his website design class, Hideki sighed when he saw his former girlfriend waiting for him outside of the room. It was the third time that day he had run into her, and it was becoming quite obvious that Yui was stalking him. Why couldn't she leave him alone?

Without a word, he immediately pivoted on his heel and turned left, in the opposite direction of where she was standing. It meant a longer walk to his next class, which was only a few doors down the hall to the right, but Hideki was willing to take a few extra minutes if it meant avoiding Yui. However, Yui, noticing he was leaving in the wrong direction, took after him, calling out his name.

"Hideki, stop!"

Hideki glanced over his shoulder, glaring. "Don't say my name so informally, Yui-san," he ordered. "You know we don't have that kind of relationship anymore."

"You don't mean that," she said, very much like a puppy who had just been kicked by its owner.

"Yes, I do." Exhaling loudly, Hideki stopped and turned back around to face her. He felt a momentary pang of pity toward her, but it was soon forgotten as he remembered what she had done. A person like her didn't deserve his pity. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear yesterday," he continued. "We are over. I don't want to be with you any more."

Defiant, Yui shook her head as she bridged the gap between them. "No, you were upset and angry with me, but that doesn't mean we can't make up," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "Don't you want to make up?"

Her voice had lowered, taking on a seductive quality, as her fingers lightly danced up his arm to rest on his shoulder, her other hand against his chest. Hideki understood exactly what she meant by "making up," and, though he felt the beginnings of an arousal, he forced himself to resist the temptation of giving into her once again.

"Sex isn't going to make me change my mind, Yui-san," he declared coolly, taking her wrists and bringing her hands back down to her side. "Now, just leave me alone. I need to get to my next class."

With that, Hideki continued on his way to class, hoping she had finally gotten the message. He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy to shake her, though. Within seconds, Yui was again following him, practically jogging to keep up with his longer strides.

"Hideki!" she called, earning another glare over the shoulder for her continued informality. "Fine -- Hideki-san," she corrected.

By that time, Hideki was thoroughly annoyed. Against his better judgment, he stopped and turned around again, his eyes narrowed in anger. "What do you want?" he demanded to know, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. "I don't have time for this. We have nothing more to say to each other."

"Maybe you don't, but I do. Can't we at least talk?"

"About what?"

"About what happened."

"What else is there to say?" he asked, adjusting the shoulder strap of the bag carrying his laptop.

"Plenty. Please, just talk to me." Before he could object, Yui grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of an empty computer lab. "Let's go in here for some privacy," she suggested, practically shoving Hideki inside the room and locking the door behind them.

Rubbing his shoulder, slightly sore from the surprisingly strong manhandling, Hideki glowered at his former girlfriend, who had taken up post right in front of the door, blocking his only way out. "If this is your idea of a seduction --"

"Do you really think I'm going to try to screw you in a public computer lab where somebody could walk in on us at any time?" she asked, rolling her pale blue eyes. "Give me some credit, Hideki-san."

"Well, considering your actions as of late…"

Yui waved off his concerns. "I just want to talk, that's all," she assured him. "Really."

Hideki still wasn't entirely sure he wanted to hear anything she had to say, but, realizing that he really didn't have a choice in the matter if he ever wanted to get to class, he took a seat at one of the empty computer workstations and rolled the chair around to face her. "Fine, talk," he said, folding his arms across his chest, "but don't take too long. I have class in ten minutes, and Hisakawa-sensei hates tardiness."

Yui nodded in acceptance of the terms, but, for a long moment, she simply stood there, her back pushed against the door and her arms wrapped around her slightly thinner waist, a product of the new diet she had started around Christmas. Ironically, she had never looked better on the outside, easily passing for pretty, if not exactly beautiful. Too bad he couldn't say the same for the inside, which had been ruined by her all-encompassing jealousy of the blue-haired genius, Mizuno Ami. Hideki frowned at the thought, and, angered by Yui's silence, balled his hand into a fist.

"Well?" he snapped. "I don't have all day, Yui-san. Either stop wasting my time and say your piece, or let me out of here so I can get to class."

"Okay, okay," she answered with a sigh. "I suppose the real reason I wanted to talk to you was to ask you if you really meant what you said yesterday. Do you really intend to turn yourself in?"

"Is that what this is all about?" he asked in disbelief. "You worrying about me telling the dean about your role in the Kitagawa sex scandal?"

If he wasn't so angry, Hideki might have laughed. She didn't really want to get back together with him at all. All Yui was worried about was covering her own butt.

"It's not an unreasonable worry," she said, her eyes narrowing into slits. "I have worked too hard to let something like this ruin all my plans for the future."

"Well, you can stop biting your nails," Hideki replied bitterly. "Your secret is safe with me. As much as I would love to clear my conscience, I realized I couldn't take the risk. Do you realize what we did was against the law -- breaking and entering, invasion of privacy, unlawful surveillance, illegal distribution of pornography?" With every new charge he mentioned, Hideki felt his anger rising. "If anybody found out about this, we could go to jail," he told her. "Jail, Yui-san!"

"I didn't realize…"

Ignoring her, Hideki jumped up from his chair and started pacing the room. "And who do you think is going to take most of the fall?" he asked, pounding his chest, his voice growing louder with every step. "Me, that's who! It was my key we used to break into Kitagawa-sensei's apartment, my camera that we hid to make the tape, and my expertise that set the whole thing up. Everybody will label me the bad guy, and you will just be seen as an accomplice instead of the mastermind behind this whole mess! How fair is that?"

"I'm sorry, Hideki-san," Yui apologized softly, finally moving away from the door. "If I had known, I never would have put you in this position."

In an attempt to comfort him, she started to reach for his shoulder, but Hideki swatted her hand away, disgusted. The last person he needed to receive comforting from was her. "It's too late for apologies. I don't want to hear it."

"Isn't there any hope for us at all?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so," he replied, heading to the unguarded door and slamming it behind him on his way out.

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Exiting the elevator on the top floor of a high class apartment building, Akira reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper on which he had written Ami's address. It was the first time he had visited Ami at her place, but spotting Penthouse 3 right across the hall, he sucked in a deep breath and walked over, lightly knocking on the door.

"Coming, coming," a female voice he did not recognize called, opening the door a few moments later.

The woman who answered was a tall, attractive brunette about Ami's age. She held a basket of dirty clothes under one arm, which Akira assumed she was taking down to the laundry room, and it looked as if she had been cleaning recently, for her hair was covered with a ratty bandanna and she was wearing a pair of latex cleaning gloves. "May I help you, sir?" she asked, shooting him a friendly smile.

Confused, Akira glanced back down at the address in his hand and wondered if he had written down the wrong number. "Perhaps. Is this Mizuno Ami-san's apartment?"

"It is."

"Oh, then you must be her roommate, Kino Makoto-san," he replied, silently berating himself for his stupidity. Akira had forgotten that Ami lived with one of her girlfriends. "It's nice to finally meet you after all this time."

The girl gave him a wary look, obviously distrustful of the stranger who had somehow known who she was. "You know my name, but I'm afraid I don't know yours," Makoto said, some of her friendliness from before disappearing. "Who are you, and what do you want from Ami-chan?"

"Oh, right. I'm being rude, aren't I?" he said, bowing politely. "I'm Kitagawa Akira, Ami's…uh…"

Akira wasn't exactly sure what to call himself after what had happened the day before, but it didn't matter. As soon as he introduced himself, Makoto's deep green eyes narrowed in recognition, and she switched her laundry basket to her other arm, effectively blocking the entrance to the apartment.

"You don't have to explain, Kitagawa-sensei. I know who you are."

"Right." After a moment of awkward silence, he asked, "Is Ami back from her classes yet?"

"She is, but I don't think she feels up for visitors at the moment."

"I see." Sighing, Akira ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I'm probably the last person Ami wants to see at the moment, but I really do need to talk to her."

"From what I understand, you said enough the last time you were together."

"Fair enough, but, Kino-san, believe me when I tell you that I do not intend to cause Ami further pain. If I could speak to her for just a few minutes --"

At that moment, Ami herself walked into the living room, entering from the hallway he assumed led to her bedroom. "Mako-chan, who is at the door?" she asked, taking off her reading glasses to reveal the dark circles under her eyes. Evidently, she had gotten about the same amount of sleep he had.

Makoto quickly turned around and pushed the door back, hiding Akira from Ami's view. "Oh, just a neighbor wanting to borrow…uh…some laundry detergent," she lied.

Akira, however, refused to remain quiet. He needed to see Ami, no matter what.

"Ami, it's me. We need to talk," he called from outside the apartment.

"Akira?" Ami asked.

"You don't have to talk to him if you don't feel up to it, Ami-chan," Makoto said. "I can get rid of him if you want."

"No, that's okay. Let him in."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's fine."

Reluctantly, the brunette pulled the door back open and showed him inside, although Akira could tell she was none too happy doing so. In fact, Makoto appeared downright determined to stay and not leave her roommate alone with him, remaining in the room until Ami shot a look in her direction, silently asking for some privacy.

"I'll…uh…just be downstairs in the basement if you need me," Makoto announced, slipping out of the apartment with the basket in hand.

Once she was gone, Ami took a seat on the couch, and Akira nervously stepped further inside, unsure of what to say. A thousand different speeches had flown through his mind on the way to Ami's apartment -- most ending with a lot of groveling and begging for forgiveness for being such a complete idiot the day before -- but faced with the actual moment of truth, none of them seemed quite right.

"This is the first time I've ever seen your place, Ami," he finally said, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them. "It's really quite beautiful."

"Thank you. Mako-chan did most of the decorating. She's an expert at that type of thing," Ami replied.

"She did a terrific job," Akira complimented as he admired a gorgeous watercolor painting of mermaid laying on a large rock at sunset which hung from the wall nearest to the door. It was one of many artwork pieces placed around the room. "These paintings are beautiful as well. Who did them?"

"Some are by my good friend Kaioh Michiru-san, but most of the watercolors and sketches were done by my father," she answered, a small smile crossing her face for the first time since Akira had arrived. "Otou-san sent me that one for my last birthday. When I was younger, he used to call me his little mermaid because I loved swimming in the ocean."

"That's right, I remember you telling me your father was an artist. He's very talented. I might not know much about art, but I like how the colors are blended in this one. It's almost like a scene from a dream, isn't it?"

"Akira, I know you didn't come here to critique my artwork," Ami declared. "Why did you want to see me? I thought we already said everything that needed to be said yesterday at your apartment."

"I wanted to apologize for what happened," he admitted after a brief pause.

"For what?"

"I shouldn't have made such major decisions without consulting you, Ami. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really," she said, refusing to look him in the eyes. "I understand why you need to leave. You do have it worse than I do. I only have to deal with the embarrassment and lewd glances. Your entire career is on the line, not to mention your reputation as a respected member of the community. It wasn't fair for me to expect you to stay only for me. I was being selfish."

"Ami, no." Sitting down on the couch beside her, Akira reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "You don't have a selfish bone in your body. I was the one being selfish by not asking you how you felt. That's why I've decided not to take the job in Kyoto."

"What?" Ami's head shot up, alarmed. "Akira, I don't want you to stay on account of me."

Akira shook his head. "I'm not, at least not completely," he admitted. "The truth is, I don't want to work at Awayuki Pharmaceuticals, or any drug company, for that matter. I want to continue teaching and doing my research at Tokyo University. The pay may not be as much as I would make at Awayuki, but the job is ultimately more rewarding. You were right; I do love teaching."

"But haven't you already handed in your resignation?"

"I couldn't do it. I left Tanaka-sensei's office without giving it to him."

Instantly, Ami's face brightened. "That means you'll stay? You'll fight the university's decision?"

"With every molecule in my body," he promised, smiling at his corny joke.

"Oh, Akira!" Falling into his arms, she nestled her head on his shoulder. "You don't know how happy this makes me."

"It isn't over yet," he reminded her, unable to completely share in her happiness just yet. He knew they had a long road ahead of them before they could truly be together. "It's going to take a miracle to convince the dean to reverse my suspension, and, even if he does, we might have to stop seeing each other."

Ami shook her head. "I don't care," she said. "As long as we're together, everything will be alright. I know it will."

"Ami…"

Pulling her closer, Akira wrapped his arms around the blue-haired beauty, hoping Ami was right. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her again.

They stayed like that for a long moment before Akira reluctantly pulled away from their embrace. "I should probably go now," he announced.

"So soon?"

"I know you probably have some studying to do."

"It's nothing that can't wait," Ami said, leaning forward and giving him a soft, lingering kiss that rendered Akira breathless.

Though unaccustomed to Ami making the first move, Akira couldn't say he particularly minded. He felt his body automatically respond to her advances, and as she lowered herself down on the couch, pulling him with her, Akira didn't protest, his hands traveling to undo the buttons on her shirt.

"What…about…Kino-san?" he asked between feverish kisses. "She could…be back…any minute…with the laundry."

"Oh, Mako-chan… I forgot…" Grabbing his shoulders, Ami held Akira back as she paused their passion play to think. "Give me your tie," she ordered, sitting back up in an upright position.

"My tie?" Confused, Akira reached up to loosen the knot of his blue silk tie. "Why do you need it?"

With an almost mischievous twinkle in her eye, Ami pulled the tie over his head and jumped up from the couch. "You'll see," she said, heading to the door leading out to the hall and hanging the tie on the doorknob outside. "She should get the message," Ami declared once she had closed the door behind her. "Now, where were we?"

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The morning of the hearing a couple of weeks later found Akira more nervous than he could ever remember being in his entire life. Not even the three cigarettes he had smoked before Ami woke up had managed to calm him.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" he cursed as he tried to knot his tie unsuccessfully for the third time. Was the entire universe against him?

Ami, already dressed in a modest gray skirt suit and navy blouse, took a seat on the bed beside him after she finished putting on a pair of pearl stud earrings and reached for his hopelessly twisted silk tie. "Here, let me try," she offered, beginning to retie it the correct way. "Everything's going to be okay, you know," she said. "Even if the board decides not to reinstate you, we'll still be together. We will get through this, somehow. I promise."

Akira forced himself to give her a small smile, though her words were of little comfort. As much as he had tried to convince himself that it didn't really matter if the board gave him back his job, he would be lying if he said he didn't care. He was very much hoping that he would be reinstated.

"Thanks, Ami," he said when she had finished, reaching up to fiddle with the knot. She had done a fairly good job, not too tight or too loose. "Hey, that's pretty good. Where did you learn to tie a knot like that?"

Ami smiled. "Another one of my secret talents."

"Obviously." Standing, Akira grabbed his suit jacket from the closet and slipped it on. "Well, how do I look?" he asked. "Would you reinstate me?"

"In a heartbeat."

"Unfortunately, it's not you I need to impress."

"I wish it was," Ami sighed. "Do you think there's any hope at all that the board will decide to end your suspension?"

"It's going to be a tough sell, Ami," he admitted, unable to lie to her. "The school received a lot of negative publicity."

"But you're one of the best teachers they have," she insisted. "Surely they can't dismiss that so easily. Thanks in part to you, females now comprise more than 30% of all students enrolled in an elective science course, and the number of students pursuing a degree in science has jumped dramatically."

"Yes, well, I don't know if I had anything to do with the increase of science-related majors, but that statistic on increased female enrollment isn't going to help my case at all."

"Why not?"

Despite his nervousness, Akira couldn't help but chuckle at his girlfriend's naivety as he walked over to his dresser and pulled out his favorite pair of cufflinks. "You really are still innocent in some ways, Ami."

"What is that supposed to mean? Why does the fact that since you started teaching, more girls than ever before have enrolled--" Suddenly, the blue-haired genius realized what she was saying and blushed. "Oh, right."

"Sex appeal." Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, Akira smirked. "Sometimes, it really is a curse to be this handsome."

Blue eyes rolled, but Ami didn't disagree. "Oh, before I forget, I told my mother and my friends we would meet outside the administration building," she announced, coming up behind him and grabbing her hairbrush. "Is that okay? Okaa-san and the rest of the girls are anxious to meet you."

Hearing that, Akira abruptly turned around, dropping one of the cufflinks he had been trying to snap on. "You're introducing me to your mother -- today?" As if he didn't have enough to be nervous about.

"Don't worry, she'll love you."

"Oh, yeah, because every mother dreams of the day she'll finally meet the man her daughter was caught having sex with on video," he said sarcastically, bending down to retrieve the lost cufflink. "It's lucky your father isn't coming too. He'd probably shoot me on sight."

"Trust me, nothing like that will happen," she assured him. "Yes, I admit okaa-san wasn't thrilled when she heard about the video, but she only wants what's best for me, and what's best for me is you, Akira."

"Really? You mean that?"

"With all my heart." Grabbing the lapels of his jacket, Ami rose on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his in a teasing kiss that was all too brief. "So, are you about ready to go? We need to leave soon, or we're going to be late."

Akira groaned, the thought of going to the hearing even more unappealing after the kiss. "Do we have to?" he asked, his fingers moving to unbutton her blazer as he traced soft butterfly kisses down her jaw line and neck. "Wouldn't you rather stay here and make love the entire afternoon?"

"Akira…stop it… Your entire career's on the line."

"The hell with my career."

"Akira…"

"Fine." Reluctantly, he pulled away and sighed as Ami straightened her clothes and grabbed her purse off the bed. "Come on, let's go get this over with."

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When they arrived at the administration building where Akira's hearing was to be held, they found the front lawn littered with reporters, photographers, and cameramen, all waiting for their arrival. Ami barely had time to comprehend what was happening before she and Akira were surrounded and a dozen microphones were pushed in front of their faces.

"Mizuno-san, what are your feelings about today's hearing?" one of the reporters asked. "Are you nervous?"

"Uh, yes, of course we're both very apprehensive, but we feel--"

Another reporter -- a woman Ami recognized from the ten o'clock news broadcast she liked to watch before bed -- grabbed her arm before Ami could finish answering. "Is it true that you will be testifying today, Mizuno-san?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, I do plan to testify on Akira's behalf."

"Akira?" the woman reporter repeated. "Your relationship is that intimate that you feel free to refer to your professor so casually?"

"Akira is more than my professor. We're--"

Again, she was interrupted. "Mizuno-san, who initiated the relationship between you and Kitagawa-sensei?" an eager young journalist who appeared to work for the school paper asked. "Is it true you offered to give him your body in exchange for high marks on tests?"

"No, of course not! I would never--"

"Then did Kitagawa-sensei blackmail you to sleep with him?"

"No! He did no such thing!" Ami denied vehemently, feeling herself beginning to lose control of her emotions. Why couldn't they just leave them alone and let them go inside? "It wasn't like that at all."

"What about reports that there are plans to market the sex video of you and the professor commercially?" yet another reporter asked. The press pass hung around his neck indicated that he was from a well-known men's magazine, the _Playboy_ of the East. "Should we expect to see _The Professor and the Schoolgirl_ on the video rental shelves any time in the near future?"

"No!" Ami was almost shouting, yet she doubted anybody actually heard her over the new round of questions being thrown at her about the video. She attempted to reach for Akira's hand beside her, wanting nothing more than to get away from the nosy reporters and go inside, but she caught nothing but air. Her boyfriend had his own problems with the media; he was trying to cover the lens of a nearby video camera with one hand while shielding his eyes with the other from the blinding flashes of the photographers, and yelling "No comment!" at the top of his lungs.

Just when Ami thought she was about to go insane, somebody pushed their way through the mass of journalists and grabbed her arm. "There will be no further comments!" the familiar female voice declared in a loud, firm voice. "Mizuno-san and Kitagawa-sensei need to prepare for today's hearing. Please respect their privacy."

With that, she pulled them both away from the crowd and led them up the stairs of the administration building, where two other girls and a young man stood waiting for them at the top. "Ami-chan, are you alright?" Makoto asked when they joined Rei, Minako, and Asanuma.

Ami noticed that Makoto didn't bother to ask Akira if he was okay, but she tried not to let it upset her too much. Makoto still hadn't quite forgiven him for their brief break-up. "We're fine, Mako-chan," Ami answered, speaking for both of them. "Thanks. I was beginning to think we would never get out of there."

"Man, I can't believe how many stations and newspapers are covering this event," Asanuma marveled, letting out a low whistle. "You'd think this was a murder trial or something, not a school hearing."

"Well, everybody knows sex sells in the media. Of course people are going to be interested in how this case turns out," Minako said. She was looking at her reflection in the glass, straightening the ever-present red bow she wore in her hair. "Hey, I wonder if we'll be on TV…"

Beside the blonde, Rei rolled her eyes. "Minako-chan, this is hardly the time to be thinking about getting television coverage," she scolded. "We're here to support Ami-chan and Kitagawa-sensei."

"Oh, right. Sorry." Sheepishly, Minako turned back around. "Old habits live hard, I guess."

Everybody present groaned as Ami corrected the misused quote. "That's 'old habits die hard,' Minako-chan."

"Well, you know what I meant."

"Minako-chan does bring up a good point, though," Makoto said, a small frown crossing her lips. "Is the hearing going to be televised, Ami-chan? Is that why there are so many reporters and cameramen here?"

"No, thank goodness," Ami answered. She had been beyond relieved when Akira told her that she wouldn't have to give her testimony on camera. It was going to be hard enough telling her side of the story to the members of the board and whatever spectators came to witness the hearing. Just thinking about her testimony made her stomach twist up in knots. "It's a closed hearing. No media allowed inside."

"That's good."

A brief silence fell over them, broken by Akira clearing his throat. "So, Ami, are you ever going to introduce me to your friends?" he asked.

"Oh!" Ami felt herself blush, having completely forgotten about the introductions. "Akira, I'd like you to meet Hino Rei-chan, Aino Minako-chan, and Asanuma Itto-kun. Of course you've already met Mako-chan."

Akira nodded in acknowledgement of Makoto, but the brunette only pursed her lips together in a thin line and crossed her arms over her chest. Probably sensing she was none too happy with him at the moment, he turned to the others. "It's great to finally meet you all," he said. "Ami's told me so much about you, I feel as if I know you already."

Amethyst eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I'm afraid we can't exactly say the same about you," Rei accused, evidently taking her cues from Makoto.

Minako, on the other hand, poked Rei in her side with her elbow before shooting Akira a brilliant smile. "Oh, don't mind her, Kitagawa-sensei. Rei-chan has issues with men." The blonde, as friendly as ever, came forward and offered her hand, Western-style. "It's really nice to finally meet the man who won our little Ami-chan's heart. I must say that Ami-chan never told us her guy was so hot! I approve."

"Uh…thanks, I think."

"So, where's Usagi-chan, Mamoru-kun, and my mother?" Ami asked, changing the subject. They were noticeably absent.

"Mizuno-sensei ran into an old professor of hers, so they decided to head inside to catch up," Rei informed her. "As for Usagi-chan, she probably overslept and is frantically getting dressed at this very minute while Mamoru-kun is waiting downstairs, glaring at his watch."

Everybody but Akira sighed, accustomed to Usagi's perpetual tardiness. However, at that moment, Ami spotted the bun-headed princess and her prince walking up to the building, Usagi's cerulean eyes wide as she looked around at all the reporters milling around. One of them, the woman from the evening news, attempted to ask her a question, but Mamoru wrapped an arm around Usagi's shoulders and guided her back toward the stairs.

"Hey, we're not late, are we?" Usagi asked when they had made it to the top.

Rei, who had looked down at her watch, shook her head. "No, but you cut it close. The hearing is scheduled to begin in about five minutes."

"Five minutes?" Makoto repeated. "We better go find our seats then." Reaching for Ami's hand, she gave it a comforting squeeze. "Ami-chan, are you going to be okay?"

Ami nodded, hoping she looked much braver than she felt. Butterflies were beginning to flutter in her stomach. Akira's lawyer said she would be called third to give her testimony, so it wouldn't be too much longer. "I'll be fine. Thank you for coming, everyone. We really appreciate your support."

"Everything's going to be okay, Ami-chan," Usagi declared, giving Ami a hug and Akira a bright smile. "In the end, true love always wins. Good luck, Kitagawa-sensei. We'll be rooting for you."

After the others had expressed their own well wishes -- even Makoto managed a somewhat sincere-sounding "good luck" -- Asanuma opened the door and everybody except for Ami and Akira filed in.

"I can see why you love them so much," Akira said once the door had closed behind Makoto and Asanuma, the last to go in. "They don't even know me, yet here they all are, showing their support for our relationship -- even Kino-san, though I know I'm not her most favorite person in the world at the moment."

Ami sighed, leaning up against the wall beside the door. She had hoped he would be too preoccupied with the hearing to detect Makoto's coldness. "So you noticed."

"Well, it wasn't exactly hard to figure out. Hino-san didn't seem to care for me much, either."

At that, Ami had to smirk. "You'll have to forgive Rei-chan. She really does have issues with men. She's not the most trusting person at first, but I'm sure once she and Mako-chan get the chance to know you a little better, they'll warm up to you. They just want me to be happy."

"I know, and I admit I haven't exactly made a good first impression. I can't say I really blame them for being a little wary of me, considering what I've put you through..."

"Akira." Despite the fact that there were about a dozen video cameras focused on them, Ami risked coming forward to take Akira's hands in her own, ignoring the bright flashes of light that began anew to capture her public display of affection. "You have to stop blaming yourself for everything that has happened. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be."

"Yes, but I still feel guilty about having to put you through this, Ami. If you want, you can leave right now, and I'll completely understand. You don't need to testify on my behalf. I'm sure with mine and Nakajima-sensei's testimonies--"

"I _have_ to testify," Ami interrupted before he could finish the thought. "You know without me, you don't have much of a case. It'll be your word against the dean's unfounded, yet very plausible, accusations."

"You do realize some of the questions might be rather…intimate, don't you?" he asked. "After the video… Well, I just wouldn't blame you if you decided you would rather go back to the apartment. You've already faced too much embarrassment because of me."

"Akira, I want to testify. It's the only way for everyone to understand our side of the story."

"Are you sure?"

Taking a deep breath, Ami nodded. If there was some way for Akira to win without her having to give her testimony, she would gladly take it, but Ami knew that unless she backed up his story, his chances of being reinstated were less than zero. She had to do it or she would never forgive herself.

"I'm sure."

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Yui arrived at the hearing early, wanting to make sure she got a good seat at her rival's judgment. Thanks to the notoriety of the scandal, the hearing would be packed, and, indeed, when she arrived at the administration building, the room was almost filled to capacity. Finding one of the few remaining empty seats, Yui sat down near the back, mildly surprised when she saw Hideki sitting only a couple of rows in front of her.

The two of them had not seen or spoken to each other since their argument in the computer lab a few of days after the scandal hit. He had come by her dorm room once to drop off some stuff she had left at his apartment, but, whether by coincidence or intention, Yui had been in class at the time, so he had left her things with Yoko.

Seeing Hideki again, however, Yui couldn't help but feel a sharp pang in her heart, some of the emotion she had tried so hard to ignore since their break-up finally coming through. She truly thought that if she gave him some time to himself, Hideki would finally realize that she never meant to hurt him when she instigated what some tabloids were calling "Teachergate" in a nod to some American political scandal, but the fact that he couldn't even manage a friendly wave in her direction, despite seeing him glance back at her at least once, proved that things were really over between them.

Well, at least Miss Mizuno and Professor Kitagawa were finally getting their just desserts. Yui took comfort in the fact that even if she had lost Hideki, her final revenge on her long-time rival would be carried out that afternoon. True, Professor Kitagawa was the one the school decided to investigate instead of Miss Mizuno, a slight deviation from her original plan, but if he was fired for unfair grading practices -- a foregone conclusion, in Yui's mind -- it only followed that Miss Mizuno would be expelled as well. As the old saying went, "it takes two to tango."

About twenty minutes after Yui arrived, the fallen teacher and his slut of a student finally made their appearance among a murmur of excited activity by the spectators. A somber-looking Professor Kitagawa took a seat by his attorney at the defendant's table while Miss Mizuno sat down in the row behind him with a group of girls Yui assumed were her friends. After their arrival, it didn't take long for the full school board to take their places at the two tables provided at the front of the room, and Dean Tanaka, who would be presiding over the proceedings, called the hearing to order.

The first witness called was a genetics professor Yui did not know by the name of Dr. Nakajima Ryu. Apparently, he was the first person to learn of the affair between Professor Kitagawa and his number one student, and Yui noticed the rather portly man seemed a bit nervous giving his testimony, probably fearful he might be fired as well for keeping their relationship a secret from the board. Nevertheless, Yui felt little pity toward him, especially when he continued to insist that there had been no wrong-doing involved and that their relationship was purely romantic.

After Dr. Nakajima's testimony came the board's main investigator into the scandal. Much to Yui's infuriation, he had little to add in the way of actual, tangible proof of the alleged bribery. Even using advanced technology to heighten the poor audio clarity of the video she and Hideki made -- a portion which he played for the board without the visual -- revealed very little except some innocent whispered pillow talk, though Yui did have to smile when she saw an embarrassed Miss Mizuno bury her face in the shoulder of the odango-haired blonde sitting next to her.

It was Miss Mizuno herself who was called after the investigator gave his testimony, and it seemed the room had gone deathly silent, all eyes -- including Yui's -- on the blue-haired seductress as she pulled herself from her friend's embrace and rose to take the stand. Yui licked her lips in anticipation, anxious to hear what Little Miss Perfect had to say for herself. Would she tell the truth about seducing the professor for high marks, or would she keep up the illusion that their relationship was some kind of miracle romance?

Soon, they would all find out.

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Ami's hands shook as she sat down on the witness stand, and she tightly gripped the arms of the chair provided, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves as the board prepared their questions. She could feel everybody's questioning, accusing eyes on her, wanting to know what she planned to say in the face of the allegations against her, yet the only person she saw was Akira, sitting beside his lawyer. He mouthed what looked like, "Relax, Ami," and she nodded, already feeling some of her tension fade away.

 _I have to do this_ , Ami told herself for what felt like the thousandth time that morning. No matter how embarrassing or insulting the board's questions were, all she had to do was answer them honestly, and everything would be fine. They had nothing to hide.

She felt a little better once the questioning started. The first few questions concerned her employment as Akira's lab assistant, which she answered to the best of her abilities. There was little of interest in her replies, and Ami noticed more than a few spectators' attention waning, though it returned full force when one of the board members asked her to recount the night she and Akira first had sex. Ami felt her cheeks burning, but she did as she was told.

"It happened about five months ago," she began, looking down at her hands, which she had folded primly in her lap. "The Friday before, Aki-- I mean, Kitagawa-sensei and I had made a huge discovery in the lab, and, in the heat of the moment, we kissed. Neither of us quite knew what to do in the situation, so the following Monday, Kitagawa-sensei left me a note at the front desk, informing me that he had decided to cancel our lab session that night in favor of grading papers at home."

"So Kitagawa-sensei was avoiding you?" the same board member asked.

Ami nodded. "He was not the one to pursue this relationship," she said, wanting to make that perfectly clear to the board. "It was my decision, and my decision alone, to go to his apartment that evening, and he did not force me to do anything I didn't want to do."

"Why did you go to Kitagawa-sensei's apartment, Mizuno-san?"

"I wanted to talk about what happened at the labs. I was confused by the kiss, and I thought it best that we clear the air between us."

"Was that your only objective, Mizuno-san?" another board member, whose name Ami believed was Dr. Takeuchi, asked.

"Yes, sir."

"So you did not see the kiss between you as an opportunity to offer yourself to Kitagawa-sensei in exchange for a high grade on an assignment?"

Insulted though she was by the accusation that she would use her body as a bargaining chip for good grades when she was more than capable of earning them on her own, Ami remembered to keep her cool. The more angry and upset she appeared, the more the board might think she had something to hide. "No, I did not," she said. "I would never do such a thing."

"In the same vein, at any time during the night in question, did Kitagawa-sensei pressure or lure you into bed with him by either threatening to fail you or promising high marks in exchange for sexual favors?"

"No, of course not."

"Then the both of you consented of your absolute own free will?"

"Yes, sir."

Inwardly, Ami sighed in relief when the board changed the direction of their questioning, going back to less intimate inquiries. Though she couldn't be certain, the small nod Akira gave her indicated that he and his lawyer thought she had handled things well. Ami was glad that part was over, but she knew the worst was yet to come and braced herself.

Indeed, after several more questions relating to the nature of the non-sexual side of their relationship, Dean Tanaka finally broached the subject Ami had been dreading since she took the stand: the infamous video.

"Mizuno-san, a video of you and Kitagawa-sensei having sexual intercourse was posted on the Internet, the address which was then mass emailed to every student and faculty member at this school," he said. "Do you know who was behind the posting?"

Ami shook her head, her stomach twisted up in knots as she relived in her mind the horrible day when she opened that email and clicked on the link to the website that hosted the video. "No, I have no idea who would have done such a thing," she honestly replied.

"Isn't it true, though, that you received one of the aforementioned mass emails and that email was sent from Kitagawa-sensei's official school account?"

"Yes, but he did not send those emails. Somebody must have stolen his password, or else spoofed his email address."

"Do you have any proof of that?"

"No, but--"

Before she could finish, the dean held up a hand and interrupted her. "A yes or no will be quite sufficient, Mizuno-san. Now, how did you feel when you first learned the video had been posted on the Internet?"

Trying not to look too angry at the dean for cutting her off, Ami took a deep breath to calm herself before answering his question. "I felt hurt, violated," she said. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. We had tried so hard to keep our relationship a secret, yet it was obvious that somebody besides Nakajima-sensei had discovered it and set out to completely ruin our reputations."

"Wait a minute, Mizuno-san," Dr. Watase, another member of the board said. "Just a few minutes ago, you told the board you had no idea who had posted the video on the website. If that is true, then how do you know Nakajima-sensei was not the one behind it? It has already been confirmed by the professor himself that he learned of your relationship in early December, and as far as you knew at the time, Nakajima-sensei was the only one to know your secret before the video's release."

"Nakajima-sensei never would have betrayed our trust like that," Ami insisted. "He's a dear friend of Akira's -- I mean, Kitagawa-sensei -- and, though he thought we were taking a huge risk in continuing to see each other, he was always supportive of us. He even loaned us his car when we went to Nagano for the holidays. He couldn't have done such a thing."

"What about Kitagawa-sensei, then? Didn't you first suspect him?"

"Yes, but--"

"Let's talk about the video itself," Dean Tanaka interrupted yet again before Ami could fully answer the question. "Before the video's release, were you aware of its existence?"

"No."

"So, you did not consent to making the video?"

"Of course not," Ami answered, blushing. "Somebody taped us without our permission."

"You are one hundred percent positive that it was some unknown intruder and not Kitagawa-sensei himself who taped you, even though you just admitted that you did suspect him at first?"

"Yes. When I confronted him about the video, he was just as surprised as I was. Besides, I know him; he never would have done something like that without my permission."

"In other words, you have no tangible proof of your claim."

Ami, though she prided herself on her ability to remain calm in almost every situation, felt her temper flare. The dean was completely turning her words around to put Akira in a bad light! "We found a camera in his room," Ami said, her voice even as she balled her hands into fists to hold back her anger. "Somebody broke into his apartment and planted the camera in the fire alarm. Akira had no idea it was there."

"If that is true, where is the camera now?"

"He broke it."

"You didn't think to call the police to check for fingerprints?" the dean asked.

"We were upset, Tanaka-sensei! He only did it because I asked him to get rid of it. I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, and neither was he, but I swear that camera existed!"

Ami's blushed deepened, embarrassed by her impassioned words, and she could hear a soft murmur arising from the spectators. Luckily, that was the last question the board had for her. The dean allowed Akira's lawyer to ask a few questions of his own, and then she was dismissed, free to go back to her seat between Makoto and Usagi.

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From the back of the room, Hideki watched Miss Mizuno's testimony with a knotted stomach, aware that if only he had the guts to confess what he had done, he could confirm her story of the break-in and finding the camera in the fire alarm. Despite his overwhelming guilt, however, he kept silent, a coward to the very end.

A part of him hoped that his confession would not be needed, that Yui would have a change of heart and confess everything herself. He was aware that she had come to the hearing, but every time he looked back at his former girlfriend, her face was free of any trace of guilt or self-loathing. In fact, the last time he looked back, he actually caught her smirking. Smirking!

What kind of person took so much pleasure in the pain of another, even if that person was a rival? Certainly not the Yui he once knew. She may have been overly competitive at times, and she never had much in the way of sensitivity when it came to other people's feelings, especially his, but he never had known her to be downright cruel and sadistic.

Shaking his head, Hideki turned his attention back to the front of the room, where Professor Kitagawa was finally taking the stand. Miss Mizuno had finished giving her testimony and was sitting back down with her friends, allowing the brunette beside her to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

The professor's testimony correlated almost perfectly with his student's. If they were lying, which Hideki doubted having watched the lovers throughout the hearing, then they must have worked relentlessly to keep their stories straight. Again, the board questioned Professor Kitagawa about the infamous video, and again, the theory of the mystery intruder arose, though Hideki still couldn't bring himself to confess. As the professor was dismissed from the stand, Hideki took one last look at Yui and sighed when he saw she had no intention of confessing.

Maybe if she had, he might have been able to forgive her for what she had done, but, as of that moment, Hideki decided he was through with Yokoyama Yui, once and for all.  
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As soon as Dean Tanaka called a recess and the board adjourned to make their final decision in the other room, Ami took a seat in the chair vacated by Akira's lawyer and discreetly took his hand underneath the table. After giving his testimony, the gesture helped comfort him somewhat, reminding Akira of the reason why he was there, but it didn't do much to soothe his nervousness.

"How are you holding up?" Ami asked.

"To be honest, I'm a nervous wreck," he admitted. "I feel like I'm on trial for murder and waiting to be sentenced to life in prison."

"It'll be over soon."

"Yeah." Sighing, Akira glanced down at his watch. The board had only been gone for little more than five minutes, but it already seemed like an eternity. He almost wished they would come back out and fire him already, instead of making him wait and letting him build up hope that they might allow him to keep his job.

"It's good that they're not back yet, Akira," Ami said, almost as if she had read his mind. "It means that they are seriously considering reinstating you as a professor."

"Maybe," he replied doubtfully. "Or they could just be stalling to make it seem like this was a fair hearing."

"Everything's going to be fine. You have to believe that."

"I wish I had your confidence."

Ami suddenly stood up, pushing the chair back underneath the table. "Come on," she said, causing Akira to glance up at his girlfriend.

Though he had no idea what was going on, Akira followed orders. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"I told you my mother wanted to meet you," she reminded him as she led him to the back of the room through the crowd. Though the hearing was in recess, few of the spectators had actually left the room, obviously assuming that it wouldn't take long for the board to reach a decision. "What better time than now?"

"Ami, I don't thi--"

"It'll keep your mind off of things, at least for a few minutes."

She was right about that, though probably not in the way Ami had intended. The anxiety Akira felt over the impending decision disappeared, replaced instead by the apprehension of meeting his girlfriend's mother for the first time.

This was certainly not how Akira envisioned he would be introduced to the famed Dr. Mizuno Saeko. Why couldn't Ami wait until after the hearing was over and they could meet over a proper dinner or something? At least then he would have had time to prepare himself.

Nevertheless, he continued following Ami until she stopped at the end of the third to last row, where they found Dr. Nakajima chatting quite intimately with an attractive woman. At first, Akira was confused, wondering why they had stopped to talk to his mentor, until Ami touched the woman's shoulder and said, "Okaa-san?"

Stopping in the middle of her sentence, Dr. Nakajima's companion stood to face them, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Turned around, Akira noticed the similarities between mother and daughter immediately, from their matching blue hair to their heart-shaped faces. "Oh, Ami!" she said, giving her daughter a hug. "There you are. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk before the hearing began, but I ran into Ry-- I mean, Nakajima-sensei, on the way inside and we got caught up in reminiscing about old times."

"You two…know each other?" Ami asked as Dr. Nakajima stood as well.

"Your mother was a former student of mine, Mizuno-san," he explained, "one of the brightest I ever had. Didn't Akira-kun tell you? I could have sworn I mentioned it to him once or twice."

Akira shrugged as his girlfriend looked over at him. He vaguely remembered Dr. Nakajima telling him that he had once taught Ami's mother, but he never thought it important enough to tell her about it. "I thought you already knew," he said in his defense, hoping Ami didn't think he purposely kept the fact from her.

"Ah, you must be Kitagawa Akira-sensei," Ami's mother said, smiling. It could have been his imagination, but Akira sensed that the smile was not entirely sincere. "How nice to finally meet you. I'm Dr. Mizuno Saeko."

"The pleasure is mine, Mizuno-sensei." Akira bowed politely, trying to keep his cool. "Ami has told me so much about you."

"I'm afraid my daughter hasn't been quite as forthcoming about you."

"Yes…well…"

"Ry-- I mean, Nakajima-sensei seems to think very highly of you, though," she continued. "He's been telling me about the diabetes research you two have been working on for the last few years. I must say it's quite remarkable how far you have gotten. At the rate you're going, I wouldn't be surprised if an insulin pill was in clinical trials within the next five years."

"I don't know about that, Mizuno-sensei, but my sister's certainly hopeful," Akira said, some of his nervousness disappearing as the conversation turned to his work. At least Ami's mother seemed to respect him as a researcher, if not yet as a boyfriend for her only daughter; that was a start. "Junko's a diabetic and she absolutely hates having to give herself injections of insulin everyday. There may not be a cure yet, but if I can help make living with the disease even a little more tolerable for her and the millions of other sufferers, my work will be worthwhile."

"That's an admirable goal, Kitagawa-sensei. I can see why my daughter thinks so highly of you in that regard."

"Well, the admiration's mutual, ma'am. Ami's been a huge asset to our research team. I don't know how I would have gotten so far without her."

Beside him, Akira noticed Ami turning a little pink at the compliment. "Oh, I'm sure you would have managed just fine without me," Ami said modestly.

"No, no, Akira-kun's quite right, Mizuno-san," Dr. Nakajima insisted, grinning. "Don't downplay your importance to our success. You may be only a lab assistant, but you still are a great help to us. Saeko-chan, you should be very proud of your daughter."

"Oh, I am. So very proud," the doctor replied, reaching for Ami's hand and giving it a light squeeze.

The four of them chatted for a few more minutes, sticking to relatively safe subjects like science and the weather, but when another former professor of Ami's mother came over to say hello, Akira and Ami took the opportunity to excuse themselves and made their way back to the front of the room.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Ami said once they were out of earshot.

"I have to admit, I thought it would be a lot worse," he confessed, relieved that it was finally over, "but Mizuno-sensei seems willing to give me a chance, thanks to Nakajima-sensei. I have a feeling he helped smooth things out a little before you introduced us." Akira made a mental note reminding himself to thank his mentor after the hearing was over. He didn't know how Dr. Nakajima did it, but he was grateful for whatever he had told Dr. Mizuno.

Ami, however, frowned at the mention of Dr. Nakajima's name. "Speaking of Nakajima-sensei, why didn't you tell me my mother was a former student of his?" she asked again, that time with words. "In all the time we've been dating, you never thought to mention it to me?"

"Like I said before, I honestly thought you already knew," he replied. "Besides, I pretty much forgot about it until now when I saw them together. He only mentioned her in passing when I told him I had hired you to be my new assistant." Suddenly remembering something, Akira looked back over his shoulder to see that the professor who had interrupted them had already left and Dr. Nakajima and Dr. Mizuno had resumed their conversation, Ami's mother laughing at something he must have said. "It's strange though," he murmured.

"What's strange?"

"Did you notice that every time your mother said Nakajima-sensei's name, it sounded as if she was about to call him Ryu?"

"Now that you mention it, I did, but that's nothing too unusual," Ami said with a shrug. "He called her Saeko-chan, so maybe they used to be really good friends. It's not unheard of for friendships to blossom between professors and students. You and Nakajima-sensei are friends."

"Yes, but I've never called him Ryu," Akira pointed out. "In fact, I don't think I've ever heard anybody call him by his given name except for Naegino-sensei, but they've known each other since their college days."

"What are you saying, Akira? Are you suggesting that their relationship might have been more than platonic?"

Ami laughed, but Akira couldn't bring himself to join in, flashing back to the conversation in the coffeehouse when Dr. Nakajima confessed he had once had an affair with one of his students. The idea that Mizuno Saeko could have been that student was too coincidental to be true, but Akira had to admit she fit the vague profile the genetics professor had given him. She was about the right age, and Dr. Nakajima had mentioned that the girl was now a divorced doctor with a daughter…

"Akira, you don't seriously think my mother and Dr. Nakajima once had the kind of relationship we have, do you?" Ami repeated, her laughter fading when she noticed he hadn't joined her. "That's ridiculous. What are the chances that okaa-san and I both had affairs with our professors -- professors who happen to be best friends, to boot?"

"You told me yourself that you thought Mizuno-sensei seemed to understand what had happened between us when she found out about the video," Akira reminded her. "Maybe the reason why she wasn't as upset as you thought she would be was because she didn't want to be seen as a hypocrite in case you ever found out about her own indiscretion."

"Yes, that's true, and she did give me a rather cryptic warning when I told her you had given me the job, but I just can't see my mother doing something like that. It would be so out-of-character for her."

"And it was so in-character for you?" Akira teased, causing Ami to blush.

"Well…no, but… Akira?"

Upon spotting his lawyer coming back in, along with Dean Tanaka and the rest of the school board, Akira immediately lost all interest in speculating about his mentor's past love life. It looked as if they had finally reached a decision. He felt his stomach perform a few somersaults, but, taking a deep breath to calm himself, Akira placed a hand on the small of Ami's back and guided her forward. "Come on, Ami, we better get back to our seats."

It took a couple of minutes for everybody to find their seats again, but, once they had, the room fell into absolute silence, all eyes on Dean Tanaka, who remained the only one standing. Akira was almost certain that everybody could hear the thunderous pounding of his heart against his rib cage as he awaited the verdict.

"We have reached our decision," Dean Tanaka announced. "Kitagawa Akira-sensei?"

Akira stood up from his chair, prepared to face the music. "Yes, sir?"

"After an extensive investigation into your grading practices and hearing today's testimonies, the board has decided to overturn your suspension. You may resume your teaching duties next semester."

As the room around him erupted into cheers and boos from his various supporters and detractors, Akira could only stare up at the dean in utter disbelief of the words that had just come out of his mouth. They had won? He had his job back? But…how?

"Please, ladies and gentlemen!" Tanaka shouted over the noise, banging his gravel against the table. "I'm not quite finished yet." The room quieted once more. "Thank you."

Turning his attention back to Akira, the dean's eyes narrowed. "Though we found no definite proof your relationship with Mizuno Ami-san resulted in any wrong-doing, Kitagawa-sensei, it is the opinion of this committee that Mizuno-san be removed from your class, effective immediately. She will take an incomplete in the current course, which she may retake at a later date under another professor with no permanent penalty. Mizuno-san will also be barred from enrolling in any future classes you may teach, and in addition, Kitagawa-sensei, you will be sentenced to a three year probationary period. Any questions?"

Akira shook his head, hardly believing his good luck. "No, Tanaka-sensei. Thank you."

"Then this hearing is hereby adjourned," the dean declared, bringing down his gavel for the final time.

The room once again burst into conversation, but, to Akira, it sounded as if everybody was off in the distance, like it really wasn't happening. It wasn't until he felt Ami throw her arms around his neck, exclaiming "You won, Akira! You won!" that he finally convinced himself that it was real, that he wasn't in the middle of some wonderful dream that he would wake up from any minute.

"Yeah, I guess we did, didn't we?" he said with a happy laugh, embracing his lover tightly. "You were right, Ami. You said everything would be alright, and it is!"

"Well, I have to admit I had my doubts at times," she confessed, "but I'm so glad I was right. The board members would have been fools to let a great teacher like you go."

"I'm sorry you have to take the course again, though, especially since the semester is almost over," Akira apologized. He didn't mind his probation, but even though the board's decision was understandable considering the circumstances, he didn't think it was very fair to Ami to have to retake the class. "You didn't do anything wrong. They shouldn't have punished you."

Ami shook her head. "It's fine. As long as we can be together, I don't care," she said, smiling. "Besides, it won't be that bad. Thanks to everything I've learned from you, I'm sure it will be a breeze. Retaking the course is a small price to pay as long as you get to keep your job."

"Come on, let's get out of here and celebrate."

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Outside the administration building, where she had snuck out of the hearing right after the verdict to hide behind one of the large pillars in front, Yui glared as the blue-haired slut and her professor boyfriend walked out the front doors, followed by Miss Mizuno's friends and an older woman who Yui could only assume was the famous Dr. Mizuno Saeko from the woman's dark blue hair. The whole group was smiling at their ill-deserved victory, and, much to Yui's annoyance, Miss Mizuno proudly took the professor's hand as they climbed down the steps, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

It made Yui positively sick watching the disgusting display of affection. Miss Mizuno really had them fooled, didn't she? Even poor Professor Kitagawa seemed under the impression that she was actually in love with him, but Yui knew the truth. No matter what the board had decided, Yui knew that Miss Mizuno had somehow used her sexual relationship with their professor to ensure she made the top grades in the class. Maybe the favoritism hadn't been intentional on his part, as Yui had first thought, but it was there, and if the university wasn't going to do anything about it other than switching Miss Mizuno to another class, where she would just seduce another teacher after the inevitable breakup with the now-useless Professor Kitagawa, then it was time to take matters into her own hands.

"You might think you've won this round, Mizuno Ami," Yui threatened, her hand clenching into a fist, "but this isn't over yet. You are going to pay for everything you've done to me."


	16. Chapter 16

Breathless after a passionate session of celebratory lovemaking, Akira rolled over on his back, a satisfied smile on his face as his lover snuggled up next to him, her hand rubbing circles across his chest.

"I still can't believe things turned out so well with the board," he admitted once he had caught his breath. "It feels unreal, doesn't it? Like something out of a dream or something."

"If it is a dream, then I don't ever want to wake up," Ami said, kissing his shoulder. "Let's stay like this forever, Akira, just you and me in this bed for all eternity…"

Akira chuckled. "That rather defeats the point of me getting my job back, doesn't it?" he teased. "But it does sound awfully tempting, I do admit."

She propped herself up on her elbow, smiling down at him. "Well, at least we can see each other as much as we want without worrying about somebody seeing us together, right?"

"Yeah."

Akira's head was already exploding with countless ideas of places to take Ami now that they could publicly go out as an official couple. For their first "real" date, he planned to take her out for a romantic dinner at the new restaurant that had just opened by the bay, followed by a moonlit walk along the shore. For an encore, he thought he might take her to the downtown aquarium. Akira knew Ami loved fish, so she would probably enjoy that. Next, they would hit all of Tokyo's museums, both artistic and scientific, as well as the observatory. After that, who knew? Movies, concerts, dinners… The sky was the limit, and Akira fully intended to make up for all the dates they had missed by being forced to hide in his apartment.

But, at the moment, he was perfectly content to lay entwined in his lover's arms.

Just as they were about to resume the celebration, however, there was a loud knock on the door. Akira swore under his breath at the interruption, and, lifting his weight off Ami's body, he craned his neck to look back over his shoulder.

"Talk about bad timing," he muttered, wondering who in the world would be coming for a visit.

Letting out a disappointed sigh, Ami fell back against the pillows. "Just ignore it, Akira," she suggested. "It's probably only a reporter or something."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed. He knew from recent experience how persistent those journalists could be, especially those from the tabloids who had had a field day with their story of forbidden love and sex. In the weeks since the scandal had broken out, it seemed like they had been hounding him at every corner.

Putting the knock out of his mind, Akira again lowered himself back down and began nibbling on Ami's ear, his lover responding with a lusty moan. Encouraged, his lips traveled even lower, tracing her jaw line and trailing down her slender neck until they reached the valley between her breasts. Ami gasped, tightening the grip she had on his shoulders, and Akira smiled, landing short, fleeting kisses everywhere but Ami's pert, pink nipples.

Unfortunately, their unwelcome visitor apparently refused to get the message, the continuous banging on the door growing even louder and more impossible to ignore no matter how hard Akira tried to focus his mind on other, more pleasurable, things. Finally, he had enough, and, tossing the blanket aside, Akira sat up and reached for a pair of discarded slacks laying on the floor.

"Akira, what are you doing?" Ami asked, pulling a sheet over her nakedness as Akira shrugged into the pants. "It's probably nobody important. Ignore them and they'll bound to leave sooner or later."

"I'd prefer it sooner, rather than later," he said, zipping his fly. "Don't worry, this won't take long. I promise. I'm just going to tell whoever it is that we have no comment and show them out the door."

"Promise?"

"Two minutes, tops."

Akira kissed the top of Ami's head, then headed to the living room, where he opened the front door. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw that instead of the reporter he was expecting, a young woman from one of his classes was standing in the hall.

"Yokoyama-san?"

Yokoyama Yui smiled pleasantly. "Good afternoon, Kitagawa-sensei. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything important."

"Well, actually…" Akira glanced back at his closed bedroom door with longing. "I am a little busy at the moment, Yokoyama-san," he said. "Now really isn't a good time. Perhaps if you came back tomorrow --"

"Oh, but this will only take a moment." Without an invitation, the titian-haired girl entered the apartment, her polite façade fading away as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You see, I'm actually not here for you; I'm here for Mizuno-san," she declared.

"Mizuno-san?" Akira repeated, playing dumb. Even if their relationship was public knowledge, that didn't mean he needed to advertise the fact that Ami was currently naked in his bed, waiting anxiously for his return.

Light blue eyes rolled, obviously not buying his fake ignorance. "Please, sensei, I know she's here. I saw you two come in."

"Y-You were following us?"

Akira didn't know what disturbed him more: the fact that Miss Yokoyama had trailed them back to the apartment, or the cool, almost threatening, tone in his number two student's voice.

Something was definitely wrong. Granted, he didn't know Miss Yokoyama that well, but he knew enough to know something had changed. Where once her eyes had shone with intelligence, they now burned with anger, giving her the look of a crazed woman. To be honest, it was beginning to give him the creeps.

"Yokoyama-san, I think you should leave," Akira said. "I really am busy at the moment, and you probably --"

"NO!" Miss Yokoyama slammed the door shut behind her, her façade broken. "Where is Mizuno?" she asked again. "Where is that slut you call a girlfriend?"

"I told you, she's not here."

"Liar!"

"I'm asking you nicely, Yokoyama-san. Please leave."

"No, I'm not leaving until Mizuno and I have a little chat," she announced, coming further into the apartment. By that time, Mercury, who had been napping on the couch, had noticed her presence and began growling. "Shut up, you stupid dog!" the girl yelled, picking up one of the chew toys littering the floor and throwing it at the Corgi.

The toy smacked Mercury right in the face, causing him to jump off the couch and run whimpering toward the kitchen to hide.

"Yokoyama-san, that was uncalled for," Akira said, moving to reopen the door and show her out. "I want you to leave. Whatever problems you have with Mizuno-san, you can settle later, on your own time."

Miss Yokoyama, however, refused to leave, shoving him backwards and again closing the door with a slam louder than the first.

"I'd rather settle them now," she said, giving him no choice in the matter.

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Meanwhile, back in the bedroom, Ami was growing restless waiting for Akira to return and resume where they had left off before the interruption. He should have already gotten rid of whoever it was at the door, so what was taking so long?

Growing concerned when she heard the front door slam for the second time, Ami slid out from underneath the sheets and reached for Akira's dress shirt, which was sitting on the trunk at the foot of the bed. Pulling it on, she quickly buttoned the shirt and headed to the living room.

"Akira, what's taking so lo--?"

The last word of Ami's question was cut short when she walked in the room to find Akira was not alone. With him was a titian-haired girl she recognized from a couple of her classes, the one who usually took the second spot in the standings.

"Yokoyama-san?" Blushing, Ami tugged at the hem of Akira's shirt, wishing she had gotten properly dressed before coming out. "Um, I didn't realize we had company. Let me go change into something more appropriate."

Ami turned to leave, but Miss Yokoyama shook her head, shooting her a disapproving look. "Don't bother, Mizuno," she said, her hand slowly reaching for something inside her purse as she walked toward Ami. "I'll allow you the comfort of dying in the shirt of your 'beloved'. It's the least I can do."

"D-Dying?"

As Ami watched in horror, the girl pulled out what appeared to be a kitchen knife from her purse, the blade gleaming in the light of Akira's apartment as she raised it above her head in preparation.

"Ami, watch out!" Akira shouted.

Taking heed of Akira's warning, Ami stepped out of the way of the swinging knife, just barely missing being stabbed in the shoulder. She didn't understand what was happening, but her senshi reflexes immediately kicked into full gear as she went on the defense.

"Why are you doing this?" Ami asked, stepping back toward Akira's bedroom. Her first instinct was to run out the door and out of the small apartment, but, over the would-be killer's shoulder, Ami could see Akira quietly advancing toward them, a baseball bat in one hand and a finger pressed to his lips in a silent signal not to give him away. For the moment, Miss Yokoyama seemed to have forgotten he was there, so Ami knew she couldn't risk drawing attention to him.

"As if you didn't know," Miss Yokoyama growled. "From the first day we arrived at Toudai, you have been the proverbial thorn in my side, Mizuno -- or should I call you Little Miss Perfect instead? It's more suited to you, don't you think?"

"Perfect? I'm far from perfect, Yokoyama-san," Ami said, trying to buy as much time as possible. "I-I have my flaws, just like everybody else does."

"And she's modest, too. How sickeningly perfect for you to say."

"N-No, it's the truth! I've made plenty of mis--"

"Shut up!" Again, the knife came at her, but Ami managed to dodge it at the last moment. "Don't you dare patronize me!"

"I'm not!"

"No? Then how do you explain your outstanding academic record?"

"T-There's no secret. I just study really hard, that's all."

"Ha!" Miss Yokoyama exclaimed. "You might have those idiots on the board fooled, but I know the truth. You never fooled me, not for a second. I knew the moment I saw you and sensei together in the lab what was going on."

Akira gasped, momentarily stopping in his advancement.

Fortunately, Miss Yokoyama didn't seem to hear him, her pale blue eyes remaining focused on Ami, who brought a hand to her mouth in horror when she realized what the girl had just said. "It was you, wasn't it?" Ami asked. "You were the one who taped us!"

The redhead applauded, clapping her free hand against the arm she used to hold the knife. "The girl genius does it again," she drawled. "Really, I'm disappointed in you, Mizuno. I thought for sure somebody as smart as you would have figured it out much sooner."

"B-But why?" Ami asked. "What did we ever do to you?"

"It wasn't just me. Because of your complete lack of ethics and morality, the rest of us never had a chance. Tell me, how many other teachers did you have to screw in order to get to the top?"

"Yokoyama-san, you have the wrong idea! I would never--"

"--never sleep with a professor to get a high grade?" Miss Yokoyama laughed. "And I'm the Empress of Japan!"

"Our relationship was nothing like that!" Akira declared, breaking his silence.

Miss Yokoyama whipped around, glaring, as Ami felt her heart jump in her throat. What was Akira doing, bringing attention to himself like that? If he wasn't careful, he was going to get himself killed.

"Spare me the crap, sensei," the girl snapped. "You're almost as bad as she is. What kind of teacher has sex with one of his students? Couldn't get it anywhere else?" She made a disgusted face. "The whole thing sickens me!"

"You have to believe us," Ami cried, trying to get Miss Yokoyama's attention back on her. "It wasn't like that at all!"

Her effort was successful, for the redhead once again turned back to Ami, who suddenly found herself up against the closed door to Akira's bedroom with little room to spare. Keeping her eyes on the crazed woman advancing toward her, Ami blindly felt for the doorknob somewhere behind her and tried to remain calm.

"Why should I believe you?" Miss Yokoyama asked, twirling the knife around in her hand so the blade menacingly caught the light. "You both are a bunch of liars. No wonder you two get along so well. Too bad one of you is about to die."

"Please, Yokoyama-san… You don't want to do this…"

"Die!"

"Ami, watch out!" Akira shouted as the knife came at her.

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Arriving back at his apartment, Hideki let out a huge sigh of relief as he let himself in and plopped down on his couch. Finally, the scandal had come to a close and everybody's lives, including Professor Kitagawa's and Miss Mizuno's, could return to some semblance of normal.

Hideki still felt guilty about his role in what happened, but he was glad that the professor was able to keep his job and that he would be able to continue to see Miss Mizuno. He had caught glimpses of the couple during the hearing, and anybody with half a brain could plainly see they truly cared about each other. There had been nothing wrong or indecent about their relationship at all, unlike the picture Yui had painted when she first learned they were dating.

Yui…

Reaching for the wooden picture frame sitting on the end table beside the couch, Hideki sighed as he stared at a happy photograph of him and Yui taken last summer. They had gone to the beach to celebrate their three month anniversary, and he remembered fondly the fun they had that day, playing in the crashing waves of the Sea of Japan and walking hand-in-hand under the moonlight once most everybody else had left.

What had happened to that once adorably chubby girl who loved eating saltwater taffy and analyzing seashells?

Unable to answer that question, Hideki placed the picture back on the table, face-down, and, for the first time noticed that the red light on his answering machine was blinking. A quick look at Caller ID showed that the call had been made from a pay phone about a couple of minutes before he arrived home. Curious, Hideki pressed the "Play" button and frowned as a familiar voice started speaking after the machine played his pre-recorded message.

"Hideki, this is Yui. I know you don't want to talk to me right now, but things are about to change. By the time you receive this message, the source of all our problems will be gone. We can start over again, Hideki! I'm doing this for you, all for you. Remember that. I'll see you later. I love you."

The message ended with a click, and Hideki's eyebrows knotted together in confusion over the strange, cryptic message from his former girlfriend. He knew it was probably another pathetic attempt by Yui to get back together, but when he moved to press "Erase" and get rid of the message, something made his finger press the "Play" button instead, unable to let it go.

"What does it mean?" he asked himself after he listened to Yui's message a second time. "The source of all our problems…?"

And that was when he heard the scream.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"AKIRA!"

Yui barely blinked an eye as the chemistry professor fell down at her feet, blood oozing out of his stomach cavity. It was his own stupid fault he got in the way.

Stepping over his body, Yui wiped the blood off her knife with the bottom of her white blouse and focused her attention back on her intended target. Miss Mizuno, during the scuffle, had finally managed to get the door open, but instead of doing the smart thing and locking herself inside, she remained standing in the doorway leading to the bedroom, in shock over what had just happened.

"How could you do something like this?" she demanded to know, clenching her fists at her side. "Don't you have a heart?"

"I did, once," Yui said as she advanced toward her rival, "until it was broken."

At that moment, the front door swung open, and she heard a horrified gasp.

"Yui-san!"

Lowering the knife, Yui smiled and turned around to greet the new visitor, recognizing his voice instantly. "Hideki!" she exclaimed, bursting with happiness. She had hoped he would come in time for him to see the depths she was willing to go in order to prove her love for him. "Look what I've done, Hideki! It's almost over. Once I take Mizuno out of the equation, we can be together again. I did this for you!"

Stepping inside the apartment, Hideki carefully made his way over to where the professor lay bleeding on the ground and kneeled down beside him. "You did this?" he asked in disbelief when he carefully rolled Dr. Kitagawa's body over to better look at the wound. Behind her, Yui heard Miss Mizuno gasp at the sight of her lover pale and barely conscious from the severe loss of blood. "What have you done, Yui?" Hideki demanded to know, rising. "What are you doing?"

"I --"

"Drop the knife, Yui-san," he ordered, not even giving her a chance to explain. "If you ever loved me at all, you'll end this madness. This is not what I want."

"B-But I did this for you," Yui said, confused. "I thought if --"

"You thought wrong!" Coming toward her, Hideki held out his hand. "Give me the knife," he commanded, his voice full of the authority he often lacked while they were dating. "Now! I won't allow you to hurt anybody else."

Yui hesitated, looking down at the blood-smeared knife she held in her equally stained hands. Only at that moment did she begin to truly realize what she had done. Professor Kitagawa, at one time her favorite teacher, was bleeding to death by her own hand, and Hideki, the person she had done it all for, was staring at her in disgust. It wasn't supposed to be this way…

"What have I done?" she whispered.

Miss Mizuno took Yui's moment of indecision to run over to her fallen lover and crudely attend to his wound while Hideki made his way over to Yui, his face softening to one of pity.

"Please give me the knife," he repeated in a gentler voice than before. "You don't want to do this. Please, end this now before somebody else gets hurt. Let me help you."

Nodding, Yui started to do as he asked when she was struck by another thought:

 _Hideki doesn't want me anymore_.

That single sentence kept repeating itself over and over in her head. His kindness at the moment was just an act, a way of getting her to do what he wanted her to do. He didn't really mean it. Once he got a hold of the knife, Hideki would turn on her again, those beautiful hazel eyes staring at her with the same hate and disgust she saw when he first stepped in the apartment and saw the professor's body on the floor.

She wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't allow the man she loved to look at her that way ever again.

"No," Yui said, abruptly yanking the knife back just as Hideki was about to take it from her. Any closer, his hand might have been injured.

"No?" he repeated, confused. "Yui-san, don't be ridiculous. Give me the knife. This isn't some game."

"I'll give you the knife, but first you have to do something for me," she declared, holding her weapon protectively against her chest.

"Anything, just give me the knife!" His voice was beginning to border on hysterical.

"Tell me you love me."

"What?"

"You heard me the first time, Hideki." Letting the knife drop to her side and behind her back, Yui bridged the short gap between them and brought her blood-covered hand to the side of his face. Her former boyfriend flinched at her touch. "Three simple words, and we can pretend this was all just a horrible nightmare. Don't you want to go back to the way things were before?"

"It's impossible," Hideki answered hoarsely. "We can't go back. Too much has changed. _You_ have changed."

"But I can change back! I'll go back to the way I used to be, when we were happy and in love --"

"Yui-san, stop!" He pulled her hand away from his face and brought it back down to her side. "What we had is over. Any declaration of love I made today would be nothing but a lie. I'll always remember our time together fondly, but it's time for us to both move on with our lives. I'm sorry."

"I see."

Yui turned around, bringing the knife once again in front of her. In the reflection of the blade, she could faintly see the beginnings of tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away with the sleeve of her blouse. She would not let him see what he had done to her.

If Hideki could not find it in his heart to forgive her and take her back, then there was only one thing to do.

Hideki had to die.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ami tried the best she could, but the bleeding would not stop. The swatch of fabric she had ripped from the sleeve of the shirt she wore to act as makeshift dressing for the wound was now colored more red than white, and Akira was losing consciousness more and more often, briefly awakening at uneven intervals only to pass out from the pain once more. If she had to make an educated guess as to his condition, Ami judged he was in shock.

"Akira, stay with me," she ordered softly as she ripped her other sleeve off and applied more pressure to the wound. What remained of the shirt she had borrowed from Akira was splattered with blood. "Don't you dare die on me now, not when we can finally be together without shame. Today was only supposed to be the beginning, not the end."

Choking on the sob rising in her throat, Ami forced herself to concentrate on keeping Akira alive until help could arrive instead of dwelling on the possibility of his death. She now understood why doctors were advised not to operate on their own family members and loved ones. It was difficult to keep emotions in check when facing losing somebody she cared about. Trying not to think about that possibility, she thought back to her lessons in first aid and proceeded to do everything in her power to stop the bleeding.

Occasionally while she worked, Ami glanced over her shoulder at Miss Yokoyama and the young man who had come to their rescue, whom she recognized as Mercury's dog walker, the one who had walked in on her at the apartment that one day. She remembered that Akira had mentioned he was Miss Yokoyama's boyfriend, and it seemed as if he was the only one she would listen to.

Eventually, Hideki managed to calm the girl down, convincing her to give him the knife. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ami stretched her arm up to reach for the telephone she knew was sitting on the table behind her to call for the ambulance, but before her fingers could even wrap around the cordless receiver, Miss Yokoyama had begun her rampage anew, this time her anger focused on the young man.

Hideki managed to grab the girl's arm before the knife plunged in his chest, but he was locked in a life-or-death struggle. Horrified, Ami was momentarily frozen in place until she realized what she needed to do. She couldn't allow Miss Yokoyama to hurt anybody else.

After she guided Akira's hand over his wound to replace the one she had been using to apply pressure, Ami slowly stood, her heart never filled with such pain and hatred than it was at that moment. Closing her eyes, she felt her long-dormant powers awaken and called out, "Mercury Crystal Power, Make-Up!"

The bright blue light of her transformation temporarily distracted both Hideki and Miss Yokoyama, the two pausing in the middle of their fierce struggle to watch, amazed, as the power washed over Ami. However, Hideki quickly realized it was his chance and grabbed the knife from the would-be killer's hands while she was still entranced by the magic filling the room.

"Hideki-san, get out of the way!" Ami shouted as soon as she had completed the transformation, the Mercury Harp forming in her hands. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

Dropping to the ground, Hideki rolled safely out of the away just as Ami released her attack of freezing cold water. Miss Yokoyama didn't even know what hit her. Her mouth opened as if preparing to scream, the redhead was instantly encased in a crystal of ice as her boyfriend looked on, his breathing heavy as he tried to catch his breath.

"M-Mizuno-san?" Hazel eyes stared over at Ami, full of confusion and shock. "M-Mizuno-san is --"

"Are you okay?" Ami asked, kneeling beside Hideki. At the moment, the revelation of her secret identity was the least of her worries. "Did she hurt you?"

Hideki shook his head, sitting back up. The front of his shirt was spotted in blood, but it didn't appear to be his. More than likely it came from the knife, which he had been holding protectively against his chest. "I'm fine," he said. "But how did you…?"

"I'll explain later," Ami promised, standing up and walking back over to Akira.

Her lover was still unconscious, appearing even paler than before. Falling to her knees, Ami ripped off the top tier of her ruffled skirt and replaced the bloodied makeshift bandage from before. Tears rolled down her cheeks despite her attempts to remain strong.

He was so weak…

"Akira?" she whispered, bending close to his ear. "Akira, can you hear me? It's me, Ami. Please, say something."

Hideki, his legs shaky, stood and walked over, letting the bloodied knife drop to the floor. "Is he-- Is he dead?"

Reaching for Akira's wrist, Ami shook her head. She could still feel a pulse, though it was very faint and erratic. "No, but he's lost a lot of blood. He needs to get to a hospital."

"I'll call an ambulance," Hideki offered, grabbing the cordless phone sitting on the table.

"Thank you."

Giving them some privacy, the young man headed for the kitchen to make the call as Ami brought Akira's hand to her cheek, his skin clammy and cold. She choked back a sob, her eyes closed in silent prayer. Why wasn't he regaining consciousness?

"Akira, it's me," she said again, her voice wavering with emotion. "Can you hear me? Please, you have to wake up. Please!"

"A…A-Ami?"

The voice was so soft and weak, at first Ami thought she had imagined it. When she looked down, though, she saw his eyes flutter open, and that time, she really did sob, unable to contain her happiness.

"Ami?" Akira repeated, his voice a little stronger. "No…not Ami… Who are you? Where's Ami?"

In her concern over Akira, Ami had completely forgotten she was still transformed. Smiling through her tears, she brushed back a lock of hair from his eyes and shook her head. "Shh… Save your strength, Akira, I'll explain everything later. Promise."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He received a stab wound to his gut. His girlfriend is trying to stabilize him. She's pre-med… Yeah, we have the stabber… No, I don't think she's a threat anymore. She's been…knocked out… Please, just send an ambulance and the police. Kitagawa-sensei is losing a lot of blood… Fukami Apartments near the university. We're in apartment 518... Thank you."

Finishing his call, Hideki hung up and sighed as he sat the cordless receiver down on the kitchen counter. He was still trying to wrap his mind around what had happened. Somehow, it didn't seem real, especially when factoring in the fact that Miss Mizuno apparently possessed some kind of strange water-based magical power. He was half-convinced it was some crazy nightmare brought on by playing too much _Final Fantasy_ , but, when Hideki reached over and pinched his arm, the pain brought real tears to his eyes.

"So much for it being a dream," he muttered, for the first time noticing that he wasn't alone.

Underneath the kitchen table, the professor's dog was whimpering, more than likely scared off by the commotion from before. Hideki walked over, and, stooping beside the table, reached out a hand to comfort the poor thing, surprised when the Corgi began growling at him. Yui must have frightened him badly.

"Hey, Mercury, it's just me, boy," Hideki said. "Your buddy Hideki. Remember me? It's okay. It's over."

Mercury ceased his growling and gave Hideki's hand an experimental sniff. Apparently he passed the test, for the dog walked over and started lapping at Hideki's cheek with his tongue. Hideki gave Mercury a hug and petted him until the dog calmed down.

Hideki then stood back up and started searching the cabinets for dog food. With Professor Kitagawa undoubtedly facing a long stay at the hospital, Hideki decided he would take care of Mercury while he was gone. It was the least he could do after what had happened.

He found the food in the last cabinet, along with a basic first aid kit for kitchen emergencies. After packing the cans in an empty plastic grocery bag that he found laying around on the counter, Hideki opened one for Mercury, then headed back to the living room with the kit.

"The ambulance will be here in a few minutes," Hideki announced, almost feeling as if he was intruding as he walked over and held out the first aid kit to Miss Mizuno…or whatever she called herself in that form. "Here, I found this in the kitchen. I don't know what all it has, but I thought it might be helpful."

The blue-haired girl dressed in the fanciful sailor suit smiled in gratitude, taking the kit. "Thank you, Hideki-san."

While Miss Mizuno expertly dressed the professor's wound with a proper gauze bandage, Hideki, having nothing else to do, found himself drawn to the large ice crystal still standing in the living room. Looking upon the body of his former lover frozen inside the giant clear boulder, her mouth opened in mid-scream, Hideki honestly didn't know what to think, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

"Will she be okay in there?" he asked Miss Mizuno.

She nodded. "Yokoyama-san is perfectly safe. I used a low-level attack. Once it unfreezes, she'll be unconscious for a few minutes, but physically unharmed. She probably won't even remember what happened."

"I'm glad."

Navy blue eyes glanced over to where he stood staring at the crystal. "You love her, don't you?" the superheroine asked softly, much to his surprise. He hadn't thought she paid much attention to the argument between him and Yui over the knife.

Hideki didn't answer her question right away, unsure of the answer himself. Instead, he moved even closer to the crystal, placing a hand against the smooth surface. The ice was warmer than he thought it would be, a strange feature of the magic keeping Yui from developing hypothermia, but still relatively cool to the touch.

"Yui-san…" he murmured, finally shaking his head in response to Miss Mizuno's question. "No, I loved the girl she used to be. This girl -- I don't know her at all."

"It's sad," Miss Mizuno said, turning her attention back to treating her lover's wound. "She had such a bright future ahead of her."

"I always knew she had an obsessive personality, but never in my wildest dreams would I have suspected she would take it this far… How could she have done something like this? What made her so desperate to go to such drastic lengths?"

"I don't know, Hideki-san, but I hope she gets the help she needs."

Hideki nodded in agreement, turning back around. He could hear sirens blaring in the distance, the sound getting louder and louder the closer they came toward the apartment building. It wouldn't be much longer until they arrived.

"That's probably the ambulance," he said, walking over and lightly touching Miss Mizuno's shoulder. "You should probably transform back before they get here."

"Right."

Closing her eyes, the she let go of her transformation, changing back into the bloodied, torn dress shirt she wore before, and releasing Yui from her prison of ice. Moments later, the police and medics arrived.


	17. Chapter 17

Ami stood outside Akira's room in the ICU, gazing at her lover through the small window in the door. Akira looked to be resting comfortably in his bed despite the IV sticking out of his arm and various wires connecting him to the heart monitor, but his face had a dull pallor, pale and ghostly against the darkness of his hair.

Seeing him appear so helpless, Ami brought a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob that threatened to rise from her throat. She had spoken with her mother before heading to the ICU, and while the surgery had been an unqualified success, Akira wasn't out of the woods yet. He still risked deadly infection from the wound, though there were no signs of any problems so far.

If anything happened to him…

Ami shook her head, pushing out the bad thoughts. She needed to be strong for Akira. Thinking negatively wasn't going to help him. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she finally slid open the door and stepped inside.

Ami tried to be as quiet as she could, not wanting to disturb his sleep, but when she closed the door behind her, Akira's green eyes fluttered open, a soft smile crossing his lips as he slowly turned his head in her direction.

"Hey," he said, his voice weak and raspy.

Ami tried to smile back at him, but found that she was unable to do so. "Do you mind if I come in?" she asked instead, hesitantly stepping toward his bed. "Or would you rather I come back later? I know you're probably tired…"

"Don't be silly, Ami. Of course I want you to stay."

Ami continued inside and took a seat in the plastic chair provided for guests beside the bed.

"How did you get in here?" he asked once she had settled. "Isn't this the ICU? I thought only immediate family was allowed."

"There are perks to being the daughter of a respected doctor," she explained, not feeling the least bit guilty about using her mother's position at the hospital to convince the nurse on duty to let her see Akira. "By the way, okaa-san says the surgery went really well. You lost a lot of blood, but you were lucky that Yokoyama-san didn't hit any major organs. A few inches lower, and things could have been a lot worse."

He arched an eyebrow. "Lucky?"

"Well, you know what I mean," Ami mumbled, blushing.

Akira laughed weakly, but then turned serious. "What happened? How did you escape from Yokoyama-san?"

"Hideki-san saved me. He must have heard me screaming from next door. He came over soon after you were stabbed and managed to get the knife away from Yokoyama-san before she could hurt anybody else."

"Remind me to thank him later," Akira said, giving her hand, which had found its way to his, a light squeeze. "What about Yokoyama-san? What happened to her?"

"She was arrested, but I don't know if they'll press charges. She was obviously not in her right state of mind at the time. She'll probably be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment."

"I still can't believe Yokoyama-san was behind everything that happened to us. She was such a good student with a bright future ahead of her. Why would she throw it all away like that?"

Ami shook her head, unable to give him an answer to his question. It was hard for her to believe as well. She hadn't known Yokoyama Yui that well, but she had always admired the girl's work ethic and her drive to succeed. The aspiring cosmetic surgeon had reminded Ami somewhat of herself, and the few times she had managed to beat Ami in the rankings, Ami always made a point of sincerely congratulating her, knowing how hard she studied. Never in her wildest dreams would Ami have suspected that Miss Yokoyama resented her own success so much, though.

"The green-eyed monster can be a hard monster to slay," she finally said.

"I suppose so." Akira sighed, rolling his head back so that he looking up at the plain white ceiling. "Ami?"

"Yes?" Alarmed, Ami started to get up from her chair. "Is something wrong? Do you need a nurse?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, and she sat back down. "I just -- after I was stabbed, I saw something -- this girl…" His voice drifting off, Akira shook his head, changing his mind. "Never mind. It was probably a hallucination caused by the loss of blood."

"No, go on," Ami prodded him even as she felt her heartbeat start to rise. "What did you see?"

Akira closed his eyes, trying to recall the image. "There was this girl," he began again. "It was you, but, then again, it wasn't. She looked like you, but she was dressed so strangely, like a sailor with puffy sleeves, and she wore this tiara on her forehead…" As Ami felt the blood drain from her face, Akira chuckled. "Silly, isn't it? I must have watched too much of your magical girl anime lately."

He glanced over at Ami, more than likely expecting her to join in his laughter, but all Ami could do was look away, pretending to concentrate on the heart monitor on the other side of his bed. She had hoped he would forget all about seeing her transformed as Sailor Mercury. Of course, she'd meant to tell Akira someday about her secret life as a Sailor Senshi, but she hadn't wanted it to be like this.

"Ami?"

Pulling her hand away from his, Ami stared down at her lap and tried to find the right words to tell him. "It's not as silly as you might think, Akira," she began, her voice soft, but firm, "the magical girl in the sailor suit."

"Huh?" Dumbfounded for a moment, Akira then laughed again, thinking she was joking. "Don't be ridiculous," he said. "Magic doesn't exist in the real world. As a scientist, you should know that. There are no such things as sailor-suited superheroines like that Sailor V who was so popular a few years back. She was only a marketing tactic to sell newspapers. You know that, right?"

"What if I told you I know who the real Sailor V is, and she is sitting in the waiting room with the rest of my friends at this very moment?"

"Ami…no. It's impossible."

"Well, it's true," she declared, finally looking back up, though when she saw the look on her lover's face, she wished she hadn't.

Akira was staring at her as if she had completely lost her mind. "No. No, it isn't. It can't be --"

"Akira, have I ever lied to you?" Ami asked, grabbing his hand. "Have I ever done anything to make you think I would make up something like this?"

"No, but what you're saying… It goes against everything I -- no, we -- believe about this world. We live in a world of science, not magic."

"Why can't it be both?"

"Ami, you don't honestly believe in magic, do you?" he asked, repeating the same question he asked at the shrine on New Year's.

"I do, because I possess it."

"No." Vehemently, Akira began shaking his head in denial of what she was saying. "No, stop saying things like that. Magic does not exist except in fairy tales."

Thinking fast, Ami stood up and reached for the pitcher of water and a glass sitting on the rolling tray beside her. If he wouldn't take her word for it, then she would have to prove it to him.

"Would you like some water?" she offered.

"Water? Why ask such a thing--"

"Just watch."

As Akira stared at her, confused, Ami poured a glass of water, then placed a hand over the top. When she was in civilian form, her powers were significantly weaker, but over the years, her natural curiosity had led her to the discovery that she could control her element while not in senshi form with the proper amount of concentration, much like how Rei could read visions in her shrine's sacred fire or how Makoto never had to watch the weather forecast to know a storm was brewing. She closed her eyes, and letting her mind fall in sync with the water, within seconds the glass was filled with ice.

"Unbelievable! How did you--?"

Opening her eyes back up, Ami set the glass back down on the tray beside the pitcher and answered with one simple word.

"Magic."

Her little display of magic appeared to do the trick. Akira first looked over at the glass, blinking twice as if he still couldn't believe what he had seen, then he looked up at Ami, his eyes wide with what could have been fear, awe, or a combination of both.

"W-Who are you?" he asked, backing away from her touch as she attempted to comfort him. "Are you even human?"

"I am Mizuno Ami, also known as the soldier of wisdom, Sailor Mercury, blessed by the planet of water."

"Sailor…Mercury?"

"I know this must be quite a shock," Ami said, struggling to hold back her tears. He was looking at her as if she was some kind of freak, or worse yet, one of the hideous monsters she used to fight. "I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but the timing never seemed quite right. It's a lot to take--"

"I don't believe this… No, I won't believe it!" he declared hoarsely, interrupting her. "You're playing some kind of trick on me. That's what you're doing. This is all just some sick, twisted joke!"

"Akira --"

"Well, excuse me if I don't find it funny. Maybe you thought this little fairy tale you concocted about you being some pretty sailor-suited soldier of justice would cheer me up, but I'm not some naïve little boy. Sailor Mercury? You know, you could have been more original than naming yourself after my dog."

"But I didn't!" she insisted, sitting on the edge of Akira's bed and bringing his palm up to rest against her cheek, which was splattered with tears. Ami no longer bothered to hide them. "Please, you have to believe me! I would never lie to you about something this big, Akira. You know me. I wouldn't do something like that."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears, however. Akira pulled his hand away, and, turning his head to the side, said simply, "Go away, Ami. I'm tired."

Wiping away her tears on the sleeve of her shirt, Ami slid off the bed and gave Akira a kiss on the back of his head before heading back downstairs to the waiting room.

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In the hospital waiting room, Makoto set down the magazine she had been reading and glanced down at her wristwatch to check the time. It was almost eight o'clock, well past dinner time.

Though she felt a slight rumble in her stomach, Makoto was reluctant to go down to the cafeteria until Ami came back from visiting her boyfriend. The others, except for Mamoru, who was working a shift, had left soon after they had gotten word that Professor Kitagawa's surgery was successful, but Makoto had decided to stay in case Ami needed some emotional support after such a trying day.

She still couldn't believe what had happened. As Sailor Senshi, they were always prepared to fight supernatural forces, but none of them, except for maybe Minako in her Sailor V days, ever expected having to deal with a human criminal like Yokoyama Yui. The fact that Ami could have been killed by the deranged pre-med student still sent shivers up Makoto's spine.

Sighing, Makoto reached for another out-dated magazine and leaned back in her chair to read. It wasn't long, though, before she noticed her blue-haired friend stepping in the room, her arms wrapped around her waist.

As Ami walked toward her, Makoto placed the magazine on top of the pile sitting on the end table and stood. "Ami-chan, how is he?"

"Akira's fine," she replied, wiping away what might have been a tear from her cheek. "Still a little weak, but otherwise, he's doing well."

"I'm glad," she said honestly. Makoto still hadn't quite forgiven the professor yet for everything he had put Ami through, but she was coming around. Any man who jumped in front of her best friend to save her from getting stabbed couldn't be all that bad.

Ami glanced around at the mostly empty room. "Where are the others?"

"Oh, I told them to go home," Makoto explained. "There's not much they can do here, and, besides, they barely know Kitagawa-sensei. They all wanted me to tell you that they hope he gets well soon, though." Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out a charm. "Here, Rei-chan even left you a charm from Hikawa. It's supposed to be for good health."

"Thanks." Taking the charm, Ami forced a small, grateful smile before sitting down.

Makoto took the seat next to her, frowning as she watched Ami stare blankly down at the paper charm. Her emphatic senses were telling her something was bothering Ami, something other than her boyfriend's stabbing, but she didn't know if she should mention anything.

"Is something wrong?" she finally asked. "I mean, other than Kitagawa-sensei's wound. It's not infected or anything like that, is it?"

Ami shook her head. "No, okaa-san says as long as he doesn't develop an infection, he should make a full recovery."

"Then why do I sense there's something you aren't telling me?"

Ami was quiet for a long moment before she let out a heavy sigh and looked over at Makoto, a miserable expression plastered on her face. "I told him, Mako-chan," she admitted.

"Told him?" Not understanding what she meant, Makoto furrowed her eyebrows. "Told him about what?"

"About us, about who we are."

Makoto's eyes widened when she realized what Ami was saying. "You mean…?"

Her roommate nodded in response to her unfinished question, staring back down at the folded hands sitting neatly in her lap. "I had to transform in order to stop Yokoyama-san from hurting anyone else," Ami said. "Akira was unconscious at the time, so I didn't think he could see me, but apparently he did."

"Oh, I see." From the tone of Ami's voice, Makoto sensed the chemistry professor hadn't taken the revelation his girlfriend was a reincarnated superheroine as well as Itto had on that rainy night all those years ago when he discovered her secret identity as Sailor Jupiter. "Well, what does he think about you being Sailor Mercury?"

"He's in shock, I think. I don't know if it's truly sunk in yet. For so long, he's looked at the world through the eyes of a scientist… It's hard for Akira to grasp the concept of something like magic actually existing."

"But you didn't have a problem accepting that you possessed magical powers, did you?"

"That was different," she said, jerking her head back up. "I grew up believing in fact and fantasy, a combination of both my parents' influences. Discovering my powers was a surprise, but I don't think it was particularly shocking to me that magic existed. A part of me always felt there were things in this world that simply couldn't be explained with science. But Akira…" Ami shook her head mournfully. "Did you know that his sister once told me he stopped believing in Santa Claus when he was only four years old?"

"That's kind of sad."

"I know," Ami sighed. "He holds very few beliefs that aren't based on provable fact."

"But it is a fact that you are Sailor Mercury," Makoto reminded her. "He saw it with his very own eyes, right?"

"Still, it's difficult for him to accept the truth."

"He will." Smiling, Makoto reached for one of Ami's hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Just give him time."

"Thanks."

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There was not a single thing suspicious about that glass.

The ice Ami "conjured" had melted soon after she left Akira's room, leaving nothing behind but a clear liquid, which a taste test confirmed to be plain water. Akira poured the water back into the pitcher, then closely examined the glass for any signs of trickery, positive that there had to be some kind of logical explanation for what he had seen. He checked every square inch of that plastic cup, yet found nothing out of the ordinary.

Frustrated, Akira sat the glass back upside-down on the tray before falling back on his pillows with a loud groan. He had overexerted himself, and he was beginning to feel the consequences. Pain shot through his abdomen, and reaching for the control near his hand, he pressed the button which would administer more of the pain medication through his IV.

Sweet, intoxicating bliss came over him as the pain faded away. Suddenly feeling very tired, Akira closed his eyes and drifted off to a light sleep.

He didn't know how long he dozed or what he dreamed about, but when he finally woke up again some time later, Akira was wearing a huge smile on his face.

"Pleasant dreams, sweetie?" a familiar female voice asked, adjusting his pillows.

Through the haziness of his vision, Akira could just make out the shape of a pleasantly plump woman with blonde hair and green eyes looking down at him. "Mama?"

The woman tenderly brushed back a lock of hair from his forehead and nodded. "We're here, baby," Mama said. "We came down as soon as we heard. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but…but how did you know?"

"Ami-chan called us. She's been worried sick," she informed him, pulling the chair closer to his bed and taking a seat. "We all were. I still can't believe something like this happened to my baby…"

By that time, his vision had mostly cleared, and Akira could see his mother's eyes were rimmed with red. In her left hand, she held a crumpled handkerchief trimmed with lace, and, though she had obviously tried to wipe away the evidence of her tears, Akira could tell she had recently been crying.

"Mama, it's okay," he consoled her. "I told you, I'm fine. It was nothing."

"Nothing? Akira, being stabbed by one of your students and nearly bleeding to death is not exactly what I would call 'nothing.'"

"But I survived. That's what is important."

Sighing, his mother brought a hand to her forehead. "To think I used to believe that teaching was a safe profession," she murmured to herself.

Akira wondered how much Ami had told his family about what had happened. He never told them about the video or about his suspension, not wanting them to worry about him, but surely they must have been told at least part of the story when they arrived at the hospital.

"How much do you know?" he asked after some hesitation. "About me and Ami, I mean?"

"If you're asking whether or not I am aware that she is your student, the answer is yes," she replied. "I also know about the hearing."

Akira looked down at his hands, ashamed and unable to look his mother in the eye. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Ami earlier. I know it wasn't the best idea to become involved with one of my own students."

"Love comes in the most unexpected places sometimes, Akira. I don't blame you for taking a chance on Ami-chan. She's a wonderful girl."

"Yes, she is," Akira said, though his smile soon turned into a frown when he remembered what he had happened earlier. "Mama, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, sweetie, though if you want to know more about your condition, you'll have to wait and see the doctor. I came here first thing, so I don't have an updated prognosis."

"No, it's not that… It's just… Well, did you ever learn something about Papa that you found…unbelievable?"

"Unbelievable? What brought this up all of a sudden?" Mama asked, confused.

"Just humor me."

"Well, let me think." Sitting back in her chair, her brows furrowed together in thought. "I remember when we first got married, I was surprised to discover Papa was such a good cook. He kept telling me he was, but I wouldn't allow him anywhere near the kitchen because it was a woman's place to do the cooking. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I came home after shopping with some friends one day and found a gourmet dinner hot on the table. I suppose living as a bachelor for so long, he learned a thing or two about cooking. It was quite a delicious meal."

"That's not exactly what I meant by 'unbelievable,'" Akira said, disappointed.

"Hmm?"

"Oh, never mind. It was a silly question, anyway."

However, as usual, she wouldn't let it go. "Did Ami-chan tell you something?" Mama guessed, getting up from the chair and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Something you have a hard time believing?"

"A 'hard time' is an understatement," Akira muttered, which caused his mother to frown.

"Surely, whatever it was, it can't that bad. What was it?"

"Well, she says… Ami claims… It's like… Oh, I can't even say it, the whole thing is just so ridiculous!"

Mama rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you'd think she had told you she used to be a man or something!" she exclaimed, though she then arched a questioning eyebrow. "She didn't, did she?"

"No! I said ridiculous, not insane."

"Well, you can never be too sure nowadays, what with those sex-change operations…"

"Mama, Ami is 100% female," he assured her, "and as far as I know, she has been all her life."

"Then what is the big problem?"

"The problem is that I feel like everything I believed to be true about Ami and about the world has been an entire lie," Akira finally confessed, letting out a deep sigh. "If what she says is true, then it means there are some things out there that can't be explained with science."

"And if she's not telling the truth? If she's lying?"

"Then I've been dating a complete wacko for the past five months!"

For a long moment, his mother was quiet, a rare occurrence for a woman who rarely stopped to think before she spoke. Akira, a bit unnerved by the silence, reached for her hand.

"Mama?"

"It seems to me the solution to your problem is simple," she said. "You're a scientist, Akira. Ever since you were a little boy, you've never been able to believe in anything without proof. For you, seeing is believing."

"Yeah, so?"

"What you need to do is conduct an experiment. Ask Ami-chan to prove to you that what she says is the truth."

"She already tried that,. I admit that I found nothing to disprove the hypothesis, but I still find it hard to believe that she wasn't playing some kind of trick on me."

"Ami-chan doesn't seem like the type of person to play tricks on you."

"No, but she also doesn't seem like the type of person who would actually believe what she told me either."

"Well, what do you do in that lab of yours when an experiment of yours ends with an unexpected result?" she asked.

"I perform it again to make sure that I didn't make a mistake in the procedure the first time. But, Mama, I don't thin--"

Before he could finish his objection, his mother shook her head and stood back up. "Akira, test her again," she said in the same tone of voice he remembered from his childhood when she told him to do his chores. "That's the only way you're going to be able to believe the unbelievable."

With that, she gave him a kiss goodnight and left.

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It had been a very long day.

Hideki arrived at Tokyo Memorial around nine o'clock, having spent the last few hours at the police station giving his statement. He wanted nothing more than to go home, crawl into bed, and pretend the whole thing had never happened, but before he did, he felt obligated to check on how his neighbor was doing and bring Miss Mizuno up-to-date on what he had told the police about what happened before they questioned her. Unfortunately, to hide the truth of Miss Mizuno's secret identity had necessitated the use of a little bit of…creative truth.

"Excuse me," Hideki said, stopping at the nurse's station, "could you tell me what room Kitagawa Akira-sensei is in? He came in here a few hours ago with an abdominal stab wound."

The nurse on duty, a heavy-set woman in her late forties or late fifties, typed something on her computer. "Kitagawa-sensei?" she repeated. "Are you a family member?"

"No, I'm his neighbor. I was the one who called for the ambulance."

"I'm sorry, but Kitagawa-sensei is in the ICU. Only family members are allowed to see him at the moment," she informed him.

"Oh. Well, can you at least tell me if he's okay?"

"The only thing I can tell you is that he's in serious, but stable, condition. If you want more information, you have to talk to a family member."

"Thank you."

Turning away, Hideki sighed and walked over to a map of the hospital posted on a nearby wall to find out where the intensive care unit was. Maybe he could catch Miss Mizuno in the waiting room if she hadn't already left, which he highly doubted. Once he found it, he then started toward the elevators, catching a flash of blue hair passing by out of the corner of his eye just as he hit the "up" button.

"Mizuno-san!"

Accompanied by a tall brunette Hideki didn't recognize, she had just exited out of another elevator about ten feet down from the one he was waiting to open. The two girls were deep in conversation, but Miss Mizuno looked up when she heard him call her name. Ignoring the doors which had opened in front of him, Hideki walked over to join them.

"Hideki-san, what are you doing here?" Miss Mizuno asked, apparently surprised to see him there.

"I wanted to see how Kitagawa-sensei was doing. I just got back from giving the police my statement."

Turning to the confused brunette, Miss Mizuno explained, "Hideki-san is Akira's neighbor, the one I told you about. Hideki-san, this is Kino Mako-chan, my roommate."

"Matsuno Hideki," he said, offering his hand, Western-style, as he provided his full name. "It's nice to meet you, Kino-san."

"You, too, Matsuno-san," Miss Kino replied, shaking his hand. "I understand you helped save Ami-chan's life."

"More like she saved mine, honestly."

The blue-haired girl shook her head modestly. "If you hadn't burst in there when you did, I don't know what would have happened."

"I'm sure you could have handled it yourself, Mizuno-san, consid--"

Realizing what he had been about to say, Hideki abruptly stopped and bit down on his bottom lip. He had no idea if Miss Kino knew anything about her roommate's identity as a superheroine, but neither of the girls seemed worried or confused about the almost-slip-up. In fact, Miss Mizuno even managed a small smile.

"It's okay, Matsuno-san," she assured him, allowing Hideki a sigh of relief that he hadn't blown her cover. "She knows."

Beside her, the Amazon looked down at her watch. "Ami-chan, I should probably be going. Itto-kun's waiting."

"Oh, right. Thank you for coming, Mako-chan. I really appreciate it."

"Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Miss Mizuno nodded, giving her roommate's hand a quick squeeze of gratitude. "I will. Thank you."

Once the two of them said their goodbyes, Hideki offered to buy Miss Mizuno a late dinner in the cafeteria. He hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning, so he was positively famished and suspected Miss Mizuno was as well. She declined at first, but when he insisted, she let him lead her to the cafeteria.

"So, Kino-san knows about…you know?" he asked when they got in line, careful to keep his voice down in case anybody was listening.

Nodding, Miss Mizuno reached for a plate of salad and placed it on her tray, bypassing everything else as the line moved forward. "About my powers? Yes."

"Is she also like you then?"

"If she is, it's not my secret to tell," she replied diplomatically.

"Right." He selected a main dish of spaghetti along with a couple of pieces of garlic bread and a salad of his own. "You know, if you want anything else, go ahead and get it," he encouraged her as they neared the register. "I don't mind. It's my treat."

"Thank you, Matsuno-san, but I must confess I don't have much of an appetite tonight."

"Worried about Kitagawa-sensei?" Hideki guessed, helping himself to bowl of orange jello topped with whipped cream for dessert. Even if she wasn't hungry, he was positively starving. "How is he, anyway? You haven't told me anything. He's okay, isn't he?"

"He's doing well at the moment. The surgery was successful, and, so far, there are no signs of infection yet."

"That's great. I'm really happy to hear that."

Miss Mizuno smiled, yet he got the distinct feeling that something else was bothering her. However, since he barely knew her and didn't want to pry, Hideki decided to let it go, leading her to a table in the corner of the nearly-empty cafeteria after paying for both their meals. They sat down across from each other and quietly ate their dinner until Hideki remembered the main reason why he had wanted to talk to Miss Mizuno in the first place.

"Oh, by the way, you don't have to worry about me. I won't tell anybody about what I saw."

Miss Mizuno, who had been absent-mindedly poking at a cherry tomato with a fork ever since they sat down, raised her head, appearing as if she hadn't heard a word he said. "Huh?"

"I said you didn't have to worry about me spilling the beans about what really happened this afternoon with Yui-san. I didn't tell the police anything about your powers."

"Oh, thank you. I appreciate it."

"In case they question you about it, I told them that she was knocked unconscious, but I didn't see how it happened because I was going for the knife," Hideki continued, a bit surprised she hadn't asked herself. In fact, Miss Mizuno barely seemed concerned at all, once again bowing her head down and poking at the tomato. "That way, you can tell them whatever you want about what happened. I don't know if the detectives really believed me or not, but as long as Yui-san doesn't say anything to contradict it, I think your secret should be safe. You said she probably wouldn't remember what happened, right?

"They usually don't, no," she said softly, shaking her head.

"And, of course, I assume Kitagawa-sensei already knows about your powers, so he won't be -- Mizuno-san?"

Miss Mizuno had dropped her fork, the eating utensil falling to the floor with a loud clang. She ducked down to pick it up, and upon sitting back up, Hideki noticed she seemed visibly shaken. "Are you okay, Mizuno-san?" he asked, wondering what he had said to upset her.

After taking a deep breath, Miss Mizuno took a drink of her water and nodded. "I'm fine," she said, wiping her fork clean with a napkin and finally eating that cherry tomato as if it was proof that she really was okay. "I suppose it just hit me that I took a huge risk in transforming in front of you and Yokoyama-san. You could have easily decided to sell the stories to the media. Not many people would have been able to resist the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. I'm sure the tabloids would have paid good money for the identity of one of the Sailor Senshi."

"I have to admit, a couple of million yen would have been nice," he confessed, "but after the role I played in this whole thing, I couldn't imagine putting you and sensei in the middle of another huge scandal."

"What do you mean?"

Hideki, surprised she didn't seem to know he had helped Yui with getting the tape of her and the professor, frowned. "You mean Yui-san didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Feeling his cheeks start to burn, Hideki looked down at his half-eaten plate of spaghetti and began rolling around a large meatball, much like she had done before with the cherry tomato. He could feel Miss Mizuno staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"Mizuno-san, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am about what happened," he began. "If I had any idea things were going to go so far, I would have done everything in my power to stop her. I never thought Yui-san could --"

"It's not your fault, Matsuno-san," Miss Mizuno interrupted. "You couldn't have known Yokoyama-san was going to snap the way she did. Nobody did."

Hideki shook his head, forcing himself to look up despite his embarrassment. "I'm not talking about that, at least not completely. Of course I wish I had made it home and heard her message on my answering machine before Yui-san arrived at Kitagawa-sensei's apartment, but I'm not just some Good Samaritan who happened to be at the right place, at the right time. If it wasn't for what I did, none of this might have ever happened."

"I don't understa--"

"I made the tape, Mizuno-san. It was Yui's idea, but I was the one who actually set the whole thing up in the first place."

It was such a relief to finally confess his crime. Hideki felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and for the first time in weeks, the knot of guilt in his stomach relaxed, though it quickly tightened back up again when he saw the look of shock on Miss Mizuno's pale face.

"Y-You made the tape?" she asked. "But Yokoyama-san said--"

Nodding, Hideki balled his fist underneath the table, wishing at the moment that he could punch the daylights out of himself. He didn't deserve anything less. In fact, he was amazed Miss Mizuno managed to remain so cool considering the situation. She had more than enough power at her disposal to punish him severely for what he had done, yet she sat motionless across from him, making no move even to slap him across the face.

"I'm so sorry, Mizuno-san," Hideki apologized with a bow, knowing as soon as he said it that even if he said those words a hundred times, it would never been enough to make up for what he did to her. "I won't blame you if you never forgive me for all the embarrassment I caused you and the professor, but I want you to know that I never thought things would get so out of control. When Yui-san told me she had seen you two together in the lab, I didn't even believe her. The only reason I agreed to bug Kitagawa-sensei's apartment in the first place was to prove to her that there was nothing going on between you two."

"Yet when you did find proof we were together, you decided to post it on the Internet?" she accused, to which Hideki vehemently shook his head.

"No! That was all Yui-san's idea. I didn't even know about it until the Monday after she sent those e-mails, I swear. I thought she was just going to send it to Tanaka-sensei, not the whole school."

The anger that had briefly flashed in Miss Mizuno's eyes vanished, and she sighed heavily, rubbing her temple as if she had a headache. "I know I should be furious with you, but to tell you the truth, I'm too exhausted to be mad," she said wearily. "Thank you for finally telling me what really happened, Matsuno-san. It took a lot of guts to confess."

"I should have come forward earlier," he said, a touch of bitterness in his voice as he remembered all the times he could have confessed but didn't. "I wanted to go to Tanaka-sensei the moment I learned what Yui-san had done, but I was too much of a coward. I won't be a coward anymore, though. Tomorrow, I'll tell the police everything, so if you and Kitagawa-sensei want to press charges, you'll have all the evidence you need. I'm ready to pay the consequences for my part in everything that happened."

Miss Mizuno, however, shook her head. "That won't be necessary, although I do commend you for wanting to face up to what you have done. That was very noble of you," she said, the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. "I think you more than made up for your mistakes today, though, and I'm sure Akira will feel the same way."

Hideki could hardly believe it. He had just told her that, because of him, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, had seen her performing the most intimate of acts with her lover, nearly costing Kitagawa-sensei his job and her reputation, yet she had no intention of pressing charges against him? If the situation was reversed and somebody had taped him and Yui in bed together, then e-mailed it to the entire school, he doubted he would be so lenient.

"I-I don't deserve your mercy, but thank you, Mizuno-san," he finally sputtered once he got over his shock. "You really are too kind."

"I just want to forget the whole thing ever happened."

After that, they ate the rest of their meal in uncomfortable silence, the cafeteria dead quiet except for a table of doctors who were working the night shift and talking softly among themselves. Once he had finished eating his dinner, Hideki looked up at the clock hanging on the wall behind Miss Mizuno and noticed that it was getting late. He cleaned up his mess, and, picking up his tray, stood to leave.

"Well, I should probably start heading home," he announced as Miss Mizuno glanced up from her salad, startled. He had been planning to quietly slip away, getting the feeling that she wanted to be alone, but since she had caught him, he didn't want to be rude. "Mercury probably needs to be walked by now."

"Mercury's at your place?" she asked.

Hideki nodded. "Uh, yeah, I took him after you left with the ambulance. Is that okay? I thought it was the least I could do, but if you would prefer he stay with someone else--"

"No, he knows you. It's fine. Thank you for offering."

She might as well have been talking to a stranger, which was, after all, what he was. Hideki felt like he should say something -- anything at all -- to convey once again how terribly sorry he was for the things he had done, but no words came to him, so with a nod goodbye, he threw away his trash and left.

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Soon after Matsuno Hideki left, Ami finished her salad, then headed back up to the ICU, thinking of the man, who just hours ago she had considered a hero, only to discover that he had been an accomplice in his girlfriend's scheme.

As she had told Hideki earlier, she really should have been furious, and a part of Ami did feel some anger towards him, but he had truly seemed sincere in his apology. She believed him when he said he had never intended for things to get so out of hand, and she admired his guts in finally coming forward with the truth, even if it was too late. Ami wasn't sure how Akira would react upon hearing about his trusted neighbor's betrayal, but she would do her best to convince him not to press charges. After all, despite Hideki's part in starting the whole scandal, if it wasn't for his timely appearance at Akira's apartment, they both might have died at Yokoyama Yui's hand.

Pulling her cardigan, which Makoto had thoughtfully brought from their apartment, tighter around herself, Ami sighed as she thought of Akira. She didn't even know if he would ever speak to her again. Having dinner with Hideki had distracted her for a while, save for that awkward moment when he assumed Akira must have known about her powers, but now that she was on her own again, she couldn't help but remember the hurt, shock, and anger etched on Akira's face when he found out the truth about who she really was.

Ami was so caught up in her thoughts and worries that she failed to notice a blue-haired woman coming toward her until the woman reached for her arm, forcing her to stop.

"Oh, Ami, there you are," her mother said. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Why? Is something wrong?" she asked, drawing in a sharp breath. "It's not Akira, is it? He hasn't developed an infection, has he?"

"No, nothing like that." Hearing that, Ami let out a sigh of relief as her mother continued, "I just thought you might want to know that the Kitagawas arrived a short while ago. Kitagawa-sensei's mother is with him now."

"Oh, good. His family should be with him."

"I've also been worried about you," she confessed, resting her hands on Ami's arms. "How are you holding up, sweetheart?"

Unable to meet her mother's eyes, Ami pretended her attention had been caught by a patient being rolled out of a nearby room, covered head-to-toe in a blanket, signifying that he or she was to be taken down to the morgue. She held back a shudder, trying not to think about how close Akira had come to being yet another corpse underneath the blanket.

"I'm fine, okaa-san," Ami declared, hoping she sounded more confident in those words than she felt. "I'm very grateful that Akira is doing so well."

"Yes, he is making a remarkable recovery, considering how much blood he lost due to the stabbing, but you have just gone through an extremely traumatic experience as well. If you want to talk, I'll be happy to listen. In fact, I'm on my break right now. Why don't we go down to the cafeteria and grab some din--"

"Maybe later, okaa-san," she said, giving her mother a small smile to show that she appreciated the gesture. "I already ate. Besides, I want to check on Akira's family and see how they are holding up. I'm sure they have questions about what happened. I wasn't able to tell them everything over the phone."

"Of course. I assume you'll be spending the night?"

Ami nodded. There was no way she was leaving the hospital until she knew Akira was out of the woods.

"Okay. I'll see you at breakfast then." Her mother gave her a hug before heading down to the cafeteria.

After she left, Ami headed back to the ICU waiting room, though she couldn't bring herself to go inside just yet. When she called earlier to inform Akira's family of the stabbing, she had given Mrs. Kitagawa a brief summary of what had happened, including confessing that she was indeed Akira's student and not going to Keioh as they had led them to believe over the holidays. While his mother seemed to take the news of their deception well enough, Ami had no idea how the rest of their family would react to the news, especially on top of the video and the hearing earlier that day, which they were bound to know about by now. The stabbing was the top news on all the Tokyo TV stations according to Makoto.

Realizing there was no point in delaying things any longer, Ami took a deep breath and opened the door, surprised to see that Junko was the only one in the room, besides two other families who had loved ones in the intensive care unit. The teenager was sitting in the corner, watching what appeared to be the Channel 15 news, though she quickly flipped the channel to cartoons when she noticed Ami standing in the doorway. They must have been reporting about the stabbing.

"Ami-onee-chan!" Junko ran over and gave her a hug. "How is onii-chan? Is he going to be okay?"

"He's doing better, Junko-chan."

"Thank goodness! I was so worried!"

"Where is everybody else?" Ami asked.

"Satoshi's not here yet, but he should be soon. He's in Kyoto for school, so he didn't come with us. Mama's still with onii-chan as far as I know, and Papa went to get us some takeout. I hope you like pepperoni and sausage pizza. We weren't sure what we should get."

"Pepperoni and sausage is fine. Sounds delicious."

Suddenly taking Ami's hand, Junko pulled her toward the couch furthest away from the other families. Ami could tell from her behavior that Junko wanted to ask her about what she heard on the news, and, indeed, as soon as they sat down, the teen leaned close to her, her voice soft and low as she asked, "Is it really true, Ami-onee-chan? That you really are one of onii-chan's students?"

Ami nodded, and to her credit, for once, she didn't feel herself blushing. After everything that had happened, she didn't think much could embarrass her any more. "Yes. I'm taking his advanced organic chemistry class. Well, at least I was. Technically, I'm no longer in the class."

"And there was a tape of you two, well, you know. having sex?" Junko asked, the teen's cheeks turning rosy.

"Yes," Ami answered, causing Junko's eyes to widen. "But, Junko-chan, can we please not talk about this now? I'd rather wait until your parents get back so I only have to tell the story once."

"Okay, I can wait," she agreed, sitting back. "But is something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem a bit distracted."

It was that obvious? First Makoto, then Hideki, now Junko…

"Akira and I got into a fight earlier," Ami admitted, seeing no point in denying it.

"About what?"

"He found out something about me that he doesn't like, and I don't know if he can get over it."

"Come on, onii-chan loves you!" Junko exclaimed. "There's nothing you could say or do to make him stop."

"I don't know about that, Junko-chan," Ami sighed.

"Well, I do. By this time tomorrow, he'll be begging your forgiveness. I guarantee it."

Ami wished she could have Junko's confidence, but she just didn't know if Akira could ever accept the fact that she was Sailor Mercury. Fortunately, she was spared further discussion of their fight by Mrs. Kitagawa's arrival.

"Ami-chan, there you are!"

Alarmed by the excitement in the plump woman's voice, Ami stood up. "Izumi-mama, is something wrong with Akira?"

"Oh, no, dear, he's fine," she said, much to Ami's relief. "I have been looking for you though. Akira wants to see you."

"He does? But--"

"See, I told you," Junko said smugly, lightly pushing her forward. "And it didn't even take as long as I thought it would. Go on, go on."

"Yes, you mustn't keep him waiting," Mrs. Kitagawa encouraged, shooing her in the direction of the door.

Sighing, Ami headed to the door. "Okay, okay, I'm going!"

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Akira tried to fall asleep again after his mother left, but found it difficult. Not even his pain medication seemed to do the trick. Resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get any rest any time soon, he reached for the remote beside his bed and channel-surfed until he heard what sounded like a timid knock on his door.

"Junko? Papa?"

The door slowly opened, revealing a head of dark blue hair. "It's me, Akira," his late-night visitor announced, causing Akira to draw in a sharp breath.

"Ami."

Ami hesitantly entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Your mother said you wanted to see me."

Turning off the TV, Akira half-heartedly chuckled. He should have known after their conversation his mother would send Ami to see him. "She would do that, wouldn't she? Never can leave well enough alone."

"Oh, you didn't want to see me?" she asked, blushing as she bowed in apology. "I'm sorry for bothering you, then. I'll come back later."

"No, wait," Akira said, not knowing why, but suddenly not wanting her to go. Ami, who had started to leave, paused at the door. "Stay. I want you to stay."

After a moment of silent deliberation, Ami released her grip on the doorknob and turned back around.

"Akira, about earlier, I --"

Akira shook his head, not wanting to hear her apology -- at least, not yet. If Ami truly was who she said she was, he needed proof. His mother was right. They would never be able to get past it until he knew the truth.

"Look out the door, Ami," he ordered, Ami's eyes widening.

"W-What?"

"Look out the door and see if there is anybody in the halls."

Confused, Ami opened the door and stuck out her head. "Nobody is around," she said. "The corridor is empty."

"Good. Now lock it, then draw the curtains."

"Akira, what is going on? I don't understa--"

"Just do it. Please.

Though she must have thought he was acting very strangely, Ami followed his instructions, then came to stand expectantly at his bedside. She didn't say anything, her hands folded in front of her and her head down, waiting to see if he wanted her to do anything else.

"How do you transform?" he finally asked, Ami's head jerking back up in surprise. "Do you have some kind of special wand or something? That's usually how it goes in magical girl anime, isn't it?"

"W-We used to have henshin sticks, but they aren't necessary anymore," Ami stuttered, still looking at him as if she thought he had completely lost it.

"Okay. In that case, I want you to transform."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now. If you really are who you say you are, then it should be no problem," Akira said, noticing that Ami had briefly glanced in the direction of the door. "The door is locked, and even if somebody does pass by, you're hidden by the curtain," he reminded her. "Nobody should interrupt us."

Inhaling deeply, Ami moved back a couple of feet away from his bed. She placed her right hand over her heart, then raised the other hand in the air, calling out, "MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER!" Unblinking in case he missed anything, Akira stared, transfixed, as Ami's clothes faded away and her body was covered in an ethereal blue light. What appeared to be ribbons of water wrapped around her arms, legs, and torso, and when the transformation was finally complete, a blue-haired woman emerged from the light garbed in the same frilly sailor suit of contrasting blues he vaguely remembered from before.

"Ami?" Akira gasped. "Sailor…Mercury?"

The woman walked over to his bed and bent down to gently kiss him on the lips, proving without a doubt in Akira's mind that the sailor-suited superheroine in front of him was, in fact, Mizuno Ami.

"B-But how?" As Sailor Mercury -- no, Ami -- sat down on the edge of his hospital bed, Akira brought his hand up to caress her damp cheek. Even seeing her transform in front of his very eyes, it was still somewhat difficult to reconcile the idea that the woman he loved and the woman sitting on his bed were one in the same. "H-How is this even possible?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Ami smiled, taking his hand and holding it against her chest. "Magic, Akira. It exists."

"Ami, come on, don't be ridiculous. There must be some kind of logical, scientific explanation for the existence of such powers. A genetic mutation, perhaps, although that doesn't explain the cloth--"

Interrupting him, Ami placed a finger on his lips and shook her head. "I know this must be difficult for you, but just accept the fact that there are things in this world which are impossible to explain with science," she said. "Believe me, if there was such a scientific explanation for my powers, I probably would have discovered it by now, but it simply doesn't exist. Every law of the universe says I should not exist, yet I do."

"But --"

Akira exhaled. He wasn't quite sure if he could bring himself to accept the idea that something like magic truly existed, but the one thing he did know for certain was that he loved Ami, superheroine or not, and he wasn't about to lose her. That hadn't changed, even after learning the truth. If loving her meant acknowledging the fact that, yes, she did have unexplainable special powers, then he only had one choice.

"Well, this is going to take some time to get used to." he said, giving Ami a half-smile.

Ami, who had once again looked down at her hands, looked up. "Does that mean you don't hate me?" she asked.

"Hate you? Ami, I could never hate you. I love you, you know that."

"Even if I believe in magic?"

Nodding, Akira reached up and brushed Ami's bangs out of her eyes. The dark blue stone in the center of her tiara sparkled underneath the fluorescent lights of his room. "Yes, even if you believe in magic," he assured her. "I'm not going to lie to you, Ami. I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully share in your beliefs, but I can respect them. You've proven to me tonight that there are things out there that are outside the scope of what we currently know about the universe. I don't know if it's magic or not, but I promise to be more open-minded."

"Oh, Akira…thank you."


	18. Chapter 18

He didn't know what had possessed him to come.

Standing outside the Tokyo Institute for the Criminally Insane, Hideki stared up at the large, intimidating building, unable to accept the fact that his former girlfriend was a patient in a mental hospital. It still seemed so surreal to him, even after witnessing her crimes first-hand. Yokoyama Yui -- crazed criminal? A little obsessed at times, sure, and more than a bit competitive, but insane?

"Oh, Yui, what happened to you?" he asked aloud, sliding one of his hands out of his pockets to finally open the door.

As he hesitantly entered the hospital's lobby, Hideki was immediately struck by the overall whiteness of the room: white walls, white carpeted floors, white couches, white tables. Even the middle-aged woman sitting at the sign-in desk was decked out in a cream-colored suit and pearls, her once black hair going grayish-white at the roots. Practically the only signs of color were found in the paintings hanging on the walls, but even those were done in muted tones, portraying scenes of peace and serenity.

"May I help you, sir?" the woman asked, looking up as he approached the desk.

"I-I'm here to visit somebody," Hideki said. "Yokoyama Yui-san?"

"Yokoyama-san?" She typed something into her computer. "I'm afraid Yokoyama-san isn't available at the moment. She's in a therapy session with Horaki-sensei, but you're welcome to wait. It shouldn't be much longer."

"Thanks."

After writing his name down on the sign-in sheet the woman provided, Hideki took a seat on one of the impossibly white couches and looked over the slim selection of magazines sitting on the small table beside him. It figured that most of them were medical journals and psychology magazines, but he did manage to find yesterday's newspaper at the bottom of the stack. It was better than nothing, so Hideki grabbed the front section and immediately wished he hadn't.

The main headline read "Tokyo University student committed after attempted murder of professor," and underneath was a none-too-flattering picture of Yui at her hearing, being led away in handcuffs. Hideki only scanned the accompanying article, already knowing most of the facts, before setting the paper aside and focusing on what he would say to Yui when he saw her.

They hadn't spoken since that horrible day when Yui stabbed Professor Kitagawa. Hideki had attended the commitment hearing, but he couldn't bring himself to talk to her, not even when she gave him a small, sad smile as she was brought into the courtroom. He wasn't sure he even wanted to speak to her now, but something possessed him to come. Whether it was the need for closure or something else entirely, he did not know.

As promised, it didn't take long before he was called. An older, bearded man led Hideki down the seemingly endless white corridor to Yui's room, introducing himself as Dr. Horaki Masahiro, the psychiatrist put in charge of her case.

"I must say I'm surprised to see you here, Matsuno-san," the doctor remarked, sliding his large black glasses up his nose. "You are Yokoyama-san's boyfriend, correct? The man she claims drove her to do what she did?"

" _Ex_ -boyfriend," Hideki corrected, "and I did not drive her to do anything, no matter what she thinks. I never wanted anything like that to happen."

"Of course. I apologize for my poor choice of words," Dr. Horaki apologized. "Still, your visit is unexpected."

"Is it okay for me to see her?" he asked. "I mean, if my coming here is going to interfere with her therapy…"

"It's quite alright. We've only really begun preliminary testing and evaluations at this point. We won't begin serious treatment for about another week."

"Do you know what caused her to go after Kitagawa-sensei and Mizuno-san yet?"

"No, not at the moment. If you asked me for my professional guess, however, I would say Yokoyama-san suffers from a very extreme case of delusional disorder, as well as a combination of other psychological problems such as low-self esteem, depression, and a possible eating disorder."

"I see."

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Hideki sighed. How could he not have noticed what was going on with Yui until it was almost too late? Had his love for her made him blind to her problems? Maybe if he had recognized the warning signs earlier…

Almost as if the psychologist had read his mind, Dr. Horaki said, "Don't blame yourself, Matsuno-san. Yokoyama-san is a very disturbed young woman. What happened to that professor was not your fault."

"But shouldn't I have been able to tell that something was wrong with her? That she was mentally unstable?"

"Sometimes the signs aren't easy to spot unless you have professional training in the area."

Finally, they reached Yui's room, which really wasn't as much a room as it was a cell. Bars lined the small window of the gray door, and looking briefly inside, Hideki could see that it was very sparsely furnished. Dr. Horaki pulled out a large set of keys and unlocked the door.

"Yokoyama-san, you have a visitor," he announced, sliding the door open and stepping inside.

Hideki was a bit more hesitant upon seeing his former lover, dressed in clean white pants and matching shirt with her titian-hair pulled back in a no-nonsense braid, sitting on a cot and staring straight ahead. Her face showed absolutely no emotion, and he had to wonder if she even heard Dr. Horaki.

"If it is okay with Matsuno-san, I would like to remain in the room for the duration of his visit," the doctor continued, taking a seat in one of two plastic chairs provided. "Matsuno-san?"

"Y-Yes," Hideki stuttered, entering the tiny room and closing the door behind him. "That will be fine, Horaki-sensei."

Actually, he felt a bit safer knowing the doctor would be staying with them. Even if he seriously doubted Yui would try to finish what she had started, the memory of her attempting to kill him was something Hideki would remember for a very long time.

Taking the other chair, Hideki dragged it near the neatly-made bed and took a seat directly in front of Yui, who slowly appeared to be coming out of her trance. Soft blue eyes blinked, and her lips spread into a small smile.

"Hideki…" she said. "You came. I knew you would."

"How are you, Yui-san?" Hideki asked, saying the first thing that popped into his head.

She seemed taken aback at first, but recovered quickly. "I'm fine…Hideki-san," Yui replied, only stumbling a little at the more formal address. "Horaki-sensei has been very kind to me, perhaps more than I deserve." Her eyes glanced over at the doctor, who gave a slight nod of encouragement. "What about you?"

"I'm doing okay, I guess. Kitagawa-sensei decided not to press charges against me for my role in the video scandal, so at least I don't have to worry about it anymore."

"That's great. I'm glad for you. I never should have forced you to help me in the first place. I'm sorry."

Yui honestly sounded apologetic, but Hideki knew better than to take what she said at face value. He, better than anyone, knew what an actress she could be when it suited her.

"Why?" Hideki asked after a long bout of silence. "Why did you do this?"

"I don't know," she admitted. Crossing her legs Indian-style on the bed, Yui placed her hands in her lap and looked down. "I was just so jealous of Mizuno-san, and then I lost you… I just snapped, I guess."

"You snapped?"

"Horaki-sensei could explain it better."

"I want you to explain it to me, Yui-san," he said. "I don't want to hear a bunch of medical and psychological explanations. I want to hear what you think happened."

"What do you want to know?" she asked. "I'll tell you anything you want me to."

Her offer took him by surprise, though Hideki didn't really know why it did. He supposed he thought it would be more difficult to get Yui to open up about what had happened. Glancing back at Yui's psychiatrist, he saw Dr. Horaki nod, giving him permission to proceed with the questioning.

"Well…uh…" Hideki had so many questions he wanted to ask, but for some reason, his mind suddenly went blank.

Luckily, the doctor saved him. "Yokoyama-san, why don't you tell Matsuno-san what you told me concerning your jealousy of Mizuno Ami-san?" Dr. Horaki suggested.

"Okay, Horaki-sensei." Closing her eyes, Yui took a few seconds to compose her thoughts before beginning. "I suppose it started my first year of university," she began. "Mizuno-san was in my biology class and always ended up receiving the highest marks, which annoyed me. You see, I wasn't used to being second best. Ever since elementary school, I was always the smartest. It was the thing that made me special, the only thing. I wasn't pretty, or athletic, or artistic, or funny, or anything like that. My intelligence was the only thing of value I possessed."

"Yui-san, you know that isn't tr--"

Yui held up a hand, interrupting his protest. "Please, let me finish," she said before continuing with her story. "For a while, I was able to deal with it. In fact, I enjoyed our friendly rivalry. Mizuno-san pushed me to study harder than I had ever done before, and occasionally, I would even beat her. It was usually only by a point or two, but it gave me such a sense of satisfaction."

"What changed?"

"You."

"Me?"

Nodding, Yui looked up, looking him straight in the eye. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not blaming you for my problems," she assured him. "You were the perfect boyfriend."

"I was far from perfect, Yui-san."

"To me, you were, and that was part of the problem. I started to feel I wasn't good enough for you."

"What?"

Ashamed, Yui once again looked down. "You had everything I ever wanted in a boyfriend: intelligence, kindness, humor, good looks… I couldn't believe someone like you would ever want to be with someone like me. You could have done so much better, Hideki-san."

Vaguely, Hideki recalled her saying something similar to him before, yet he didn't understand how she could have felt that way. In his opinion, he wasn't really anything special at all. Sure, he knew he was attractive, but not extremely so. Most people would probably describe his looks as slightly above average, but mostly forgettable. And his grades, while good, were the product of studying hard, not a natural genius intelligence like Yui's or Miss Mizuno's, except when it came to computers. In fact, there had been times when Hideki felt intimidated by his girlfriend's obvious brilliance. If anything, he hadn't been good enough for her.

"I don't understand. Why would you even think you weren't good enough for me?" he demanded to know. "Did I do something to make you feel that way? Did I say something? Did I look at other girls? Flirt?"

Yui shook her head. "No, it was me, all me," she said softly. "It was all in my head. You kept telling me how much you liked me, just the way I was, but I wouldn't listen. All I could keep thinking about was that you deserved somebody more like Mizuno-san."

"Mizuno-san? But I barely even know her."

The more he heard, the more confused Hideki felt. Other than that night when they had filmed that disgusting video and he had said Miss Mizuno had a nice body, which in foresight he realized probably hadn't been such a great idea, Hideki never even hinted he had an interest in the blue-haired genius. Why in the world would Yui think he wanted to be with Miss Mizuno instead of her?

"I know," she said. "It was an irrational jealousy, but Mizuno-san was everything I ever wanted to be for you: beautiful and smart."

"You were always those things to me, Yui-san."

"You said I was, but I never believed you. How could I, when it was so obvious that Mizuno-san was prettier and more intelligent than me?"

"So you cooked up the video scheme in order to get rid of your so-called competition, even though I hadn't as much as seen the girl before you dragged me into this mess?"

"In part, yes," she admitted. "I knew there wasn't much I could do about my looks, but I thought with Mizuno-san out of the way, I could reclaim my spot as the number one student and regain the only thing that made me less-than-ordinary. Then I would truly be worthy of your love."

"Yui-san, that is ridiculous!" Abruptly, Hideki stood from his chair, placing a hand on his forehead as he paced around the room. Never in a thousand years had he expected an answer like the one she was telling him. A purely academic rivalry, he might have understood, but Yui was basically telling him he was unintentionally the cause of everything that had happened to Miss Mizuno and Professor Kitagawa. "How many times did I tell you I didn't give a damn about your class ranking?" he asked, practically shouting. "How many times, Yui-san?"

"I don't know… A lot."

"And you couldn't just believe me? You couldn't just be happy to be with me?"

"I'm sorry, Hideki-san," she apologized, drawing her knees up to her chest. He couldn't be sure, but Hideki thought he saw the beginnings of tears welling in her eyes. "I wanted to believe you, I did, but I couldn't. I _had_ to be the best. You deserved the best."

Hideki sighed, regretting his harshness from before. He needed to remember that Yui had been committed to a mental hospital for a reason. She was seriously ill, and it wasn't fair to blame her for her thoughts, no matter how irrational they sounded to him.

"Look, Yui-san, I'm the one who's sorry," he said, his voice softening as he took a seat on the edge of her bed. By that time, he could hear the titian-haired girl lightly crying, her face buried in the sleeves of her shirt, and he finally realized that she wasn't just acting. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"No, I deserve it," she insisted. "I know I did some horrible things." Lifting up her head, Yui swiped her arm across her eyes, wiping away some of her tears. "How is Kitagawa-sensei?" she asked.

"Better. They releasing him from the hospital today, and he should be fully recovered by the beginning of the new school year in April."

"I'm glad he's okay. And Mizuno-san?"

"She's fine. I hear she's temporarily moving in with Kitagawa-sensei to help take care of him during his recuperation," Hideki said, unsure if he ought to have mentioned the last part.

Yui, however, took the news rather well. "They really do love each other, don't they?" she sighed. "All this time, I was positive Mizuno-san was only sleeping with him to get good grades, but it turns out they were really in love."

"It seems so."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hideki saw Dr. Horaki glance down at his watch. "I'm afraid your time is up, Matsuno-san," he announced. "Yokoyama-san is scheduled for another round of tests."

"Oh, right." Hideki stood up, putting the chair back where it belonged. "I guess this is it, Yui-san."

"Will you come see me again?" Yui asked.

She looked so optimistic, for one moment, Hideki almost said yes. However, he knew that more visits would only be giving her false hope that they would one day get back together, and that was never going to happen after everything they had gone through. Even if she did eventually get better and was released, they could never go back to the way things were. "I don't think so. I just needed…to see you one last time."

"Oh, I see." Her shoulders slumped. "Goodbye, then, Hideki-san."

"Goodbye."

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Akira awoke the next morning, startled at first when he realized that he was laying in his own bed at his apartment instead of the hospital. The colorful wall scrolls and soft blankets were a welcome change from the bare white walls and starchy sheets he had grown accustomed to during his hospital stay, and Akira smiled as the door creaked open, revealing the figure of his lover carrying a breakfast tray in her hands. He would take her over a nurse any day.

"Breakfast is served," Ami announced, entering the bedroom and closing the door shut with her hip before a barking Mercury could follow her inside. "I'm afraid my cooking isn't up to Mako-chan's standards, but I hope you like it."

Groaning at the pain that still lingered around his abdominal wound, Akira slowly sat up and allowed Ami to set the breakfast tray over his lap. "Ami, you didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to. Besides, you're in no condition to be puttering around in the kitchen," she said, pouring a glass of orange juice before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. A couple of pills of his pain medication were already set down on the tray for him to take. "How did you sleep?" she asked as he reached for the medication. "Did you feel any discomfort?"

After swallowing the pills down with a large gulp of orange juice, Akira shook his head. "I felt some discomfort, but it wasn't too bad," he said. "I do wish you had been with me, though, instead of sleeping out there on the couch. It was lonely."

"Akira!" Ami blushed brightly. "I can't believe you're even thinking of that in your condition."

Akira playfully sighed, enjoying her embarrassment. Ami really was too cute whenever she was flustered. "I finally get you all to myself, and we can't even do anything. How fair is that?"

"It's only until your wound heals and you get your stitches out. Speaking of which…"

Without telling him what she was doing, Ami stood and headed back to the living room as Akira started on the bowl of oatmeal she made. When she came back a few moments later, she had a new gauze bandage and some ointment in her hands. "Time to change that bandage," she said, setting the tray over to the side and sitting back down.

Her fingers began to slowly unbutton his blue-and-white striped pajama top. Akira involuntarily sucked in a breath, feeling himself starting to become aroused despite himself. Ami glanced up, probably thinking she had accidentally touched a sore spot, but their eyes only met for a moment before she quickly looked back down again, concentrating on peeling off the old gauze.

Life really wasn't fair.

"It looks to be healing quite nicely," Ami remarked as she carefully cleaned the wound and started to apply the clean bandage. "It shouldn't be much longer. Maybe a week or two."

"My own personal Florence Nightingale," he said, smiling as a rather wicked thought crossed his mind. "Hey, you know what would really make me feel better?"

"What?"

"Seeing you in one of those 'Sexy Nurse' uniforms. You know, the ones with the super-short skirts and the garter belt…"

"Pervert!" Playfully, she slapped his arm.

"Hey, no slapping the patient!"

"You deserved it," she huffed, finishing with the bandage. "There. All done."

As Ami stood back up, Akira reached for her hand. "Hey, where do you think you're going, Nurse Ami?"

"I was going to throw this old bandage out and take the tray back to kitchen if you're finished with it."

"Stay with me," he said, not wanting her to leave just yet. Akira carefully scooted over to give her some more room and patted the mattress. "Sit."

She looked down at him, no doubt thinking his demand was less than honorable. "I don't know if I should…" she teased.

"I just want to hold you, Ami," he assured her truthfully. "That's all."

Akira could tell she didn't believe him, but Ami finally laid down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and placing a hand over his stomach. He grimaced slightly at the pain, causing Ami to jerk her arm away in reflex.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Akira! Did I hurt you?"

Reaching for her hand, Akira shook his head. It had only been a minor ache that had already subsided. "I'm fine," he said, entwining her fingers with his own and bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. "Thank you for staying and taking care of me, by the way. I really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem. I wanted to be here," Giggling, she added, "Besides, I think Mako-chan is actually happy for the chance to have the apartment all to herself for a couple of weeks."

"How do you think she would like it if it was a permanent arrangement?"

The question was out of his mouth before Akira even had a chance to think about it. Ami partially sat up, her navy blue eyes wide with shock as she looked down at him.

"What?" she exclaimed. "Are you asking me to move in with you, Akira?"

At first, Akira didn't know quite how to answer her. The offer came out of nowhere, yet somehow, it felt right. In fact, it felt more than right. When he had proposed to Maeko, he had been confused about his feelings for her, but there was no doubt when it came to Ami. He loved her, plain and simple, and Akira knew that he wanted to spend the rest of life with her.

"More than that, Ami," he said, smiling. "I want you to marry me."

"M-Marriage?" Ami completely sat up, looking at him as if he had completely lost his mind. "You're proposing to me?"

"Yeah, I suppose I am," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Admittedly, it wasn't the most romantic proposal in the world, but he had done the whole "on bended knee" thing with Maeko and look how that had turned out. "Sorry, I don't happen to have a ring on me at the moment…"

"Akira, wait." Situating herself so that they were facing each other, Ami began rubbing her temple. "This is so unexpected. We haven't even been dating for six months, and I'm still in school," she reminded him. "I never planned to get married and start a family until I at least finished med school. Okaa-san always told me how much she regretted marrying otou-san while she was still in school. She thinks it's one of the reasons why the marriage didn't work out."

"But we aren't your parents, Ami. I understand what your medical training will entail, and I'm 100% supportive of your goals."

"I know that, but--"

"I'm not saying we have to get married right away, either," he said, in hopes it would make her more receptive to the idea. Personally, Akira was hoping for sooner rather than later, but he realized marriage was a huge commitment for a twenty-year-old college student. He'd be willing to wait, although his marriage-obsessed mother more than likely would have a different opinion on the matter. "We can wait a couple of years if you want, see if we can live together first…"

"I don't know," Ami said, shaking her head. "Marriage is a big step, and there are some things you still don't know about…my position."

"Your position? You mean the whole Sailor Mercury thing?" Akira still had trouble believing Ami was actually a super-heroine, although he was doing his best to try to accept it.

"It's…complicated," was all she would say, sighing. "Do you mind if I wait a few days to give you a final answer?" she asked. "I have a lot to think about."

"Oh." Akira couldn't hide his disappointment, though he tried to fake an understanding smile. "Sure, I understand. Take as much time as you need."

"Thanks." After lightly kissing his cheek, Ami slid of the bed and gathered the breakfast tray. "Well, I'm going to take these to the kitchen, then take Mercury out for his walk. Will you be okay until I get back?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Go."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Marriage?_

As Ami was led to the sakura tree in front of the apartment building by a rambunctious Mercury, she couldn't stop thinking about Akira's proposal. She definitely had not expected that when she brought him breakfast.

Had he even realized what he was asking? Maybe it had been his pain medication talking. The proposal certainly seemed spontaneous enough. Akira couldn't have possibly given it any serious consideration before asking her to marry him, but he had sounded so sincere…

'What am I thinking?' Ami thought, shaking her head. She loved Akira, but it was much too soon to be talking marriage.

Still, she smiled, thinking of what it would be like to be his wife. She may have been young, but Ami already knew that Akira was the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. In that case, why wait, especially considering what she knew of the future? The sooner they got married, the more time they would have together to spend as a normal husband and wife before Crystal Tokyo arrived and she had to resume her duties as Sailor Mercury.

That was another problem, though. The main problem, actually. Akira had no idea about her destiny to become Neo-Queen Serenity's guardian. He thought her life as Sailor Mercury ended in high school; how would he react when he found out that Sailor Mercury would become her permanent job in the future?

"What do you think, Mercury?" she asked, looking down at the Corgi, who had finished doing his business. "What should I do?"

Mercury, unsurprisingly, had no answers. Ami sighed, leading the dog back up to the apartment. What she needed was to talk to one of her friends, but who? Rei and Minako were obviously out of the question. Ami already knew what they would say. Man-hater Rei would tell her she should focus more on her career instead of romance, while Minako, the self-proclaimed goddess of love, would be all for her getting married, despite any logical arguments against it, and would probably start campaigning for maid of honor. Usagi would be the best person to talk to, considering she was in a similar situation, but she had entrance exams coming up, and Ami didn't want to distract her from her studies. That left Makoto, so as soon as got back to the apartment, she called her roommate and asked her to meet her at the campus coffeehouse for lunch.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He's asked you to marry him?!"

Across the table, Ami blushed brightly as several of the coffeehouse's patrons turned to stare. "Keep your voice down, Mako-chan," she whispered. "Everybody's looking at us."

"Oops, sorry," Makoto apologized sheepishly. She hadn't even realized how loud she had been talking, so surprised by the news that her best friend was getting married. When Ami called that morning, asking to meet her at the coffeehouse to discuss something important, the thought of an engagement never even crossed Makoto's mind. "But that's fantastic news, Ami-chan!" she said, bringing her volume down to a more suitable level. "Where's the ring? When's the wedding? Have you picked out a date yet? You know, I can probably get the restaurant to give you a good deal on the catering. Oh, and I know this terrific florist. She makes the most beautiful bouquets--"

"I haven't even said yes, yet," Ami said, interrupting Makoto in mid-sentence. "I don't know if I will."

"What?" Makoto stared at Ami as if she had suddenly grown a second head. She knew if Itto had asked her to marry him, she wouldn't have even hesitated in saying "yes" to the proposal. "What do you mean you haven't said yes yet?"

"It's a big decision, and he sprung this on me so suddenly…" Sighing, Ami picked up a spoon and started stirring the mug of steaming coffee the waiter had placed in front of her. "I mean, I haven't even started medical school yet. This isn't the time to be planning weddings and starting a family, is it?"

Makoto shrugged. "Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san are doing it, and he's still in school," she reminded the potential bride. "Usagi-chan will be, too, if she manages to pass that entrance exam in a couple of weeks."

"I know, but it's different for them. They already know they're fated to marry and become parents to Chibi-Usa-chan. We don't even know if our future counterparts were married."

"I thought you said the future wasn't set in stone, that we had the power to create our own future," Makoto reminded her.

"I did, didn't I?" she mused, the beginnings of a soft smile on her face. "I almost forgot about that."

"See? So what's keeping you from saying yes?"

"I don't know. It's not that I don't want to marry him, someday. I love him so much, Mako-chan, and I want to be his wife, but…"

Makoto frowned as Ami's voice drifted off, not completing the sentence. She didn't understand. If Ami was in love with Professor Kitagawa Akira and wanted to marry him, then why couldn't she bring herself to say yes to the proposal? There had to be some other reason besides school. Sure, marrying while still in college might lead to some problems, but nothing a couple couldn't handle if they really loved each other. Her own parents married while her father was still in school, and they had a very happy marriage together.

"It's the Mercury thing, isn't it?" Makoto guessed, causing Ami to glance up from her coffee in surprise.

"How did you…?"

"I think all of us at one time or another -- with the possible exception of Rei-chan, of course -- has wondered how we're supposed to balance romance with our duties as senshi," Makoto said. She remembered the dozens of conversations she had with Minako, self-titled Goddess of Love, on that very subject during late night phone calls when they should have been studying. "We know we're destined to become Neo-Queen Serenity's guardians, but does that mean we can't have our own personal lives?"

"What do you think?"

"Me? I can't imagine Usagi-chan denying us the chance for happiness. She's always encouraged us to pursue our dreams. I don't think becoming queen of Earth will change that."

"I suppose you're right." Ami sighed after taking a sip of her coffee. "Still, is it really fair to Akira?" she mused aloud. "He's under the impression that Sailor Mercury is a part of my past. He has absolutely no idea what the future will bring."

"If you're that concerned about it, tell him about Crystal Tokyo and let him decide if he still wants to be with you," Makoto suggested.

"Tell him about the future? Can I really do that?"

Makoto shrugged. She was hardly an expert on time theories -- that honor went to Setsuna, the time guardian herself -- but the way she saw it, they couldn't mess up the timeline much more than they already had. Besides, it wasn't as if Ami would be telling her boyfriend about his own future. If he reacted the same way he did when he discovered Ami was Sailor Mercury, he probably wouldn't even believe her when she told him she had been to the future.

"I don't see a problem with it. I think it'll be okay, as long as you keep it as vague as possible."

"Thanks, Mako-chan," Ami said, smiling as she stood and left some money on the table to pay for her drink. "You've been a big help. I think I might do that."

"Good luck, Ami-chan."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Around mid-afternoon, Dr. Nakajima came by for a visit, letting himself in with a spare key Akira suspected Ami had given the professor so he wouldn't have to get up to answer the door. Akira, bored out of his mind while Ami attended her classes, had just finished watching his third soap opera of the day when his mentor arrived, so he was glad for the distraction. If he had to watch another hour of love triangles, long-lost relatives, and "Who's the daddy?" storylines, Akira might have seriously considered finishing the job Yokoyama Yui started.

"You're looking much better," Dr. Nakajima remarked from the doorway of his bedroom as Akira grabbed the remote off the nightstand and switched off the TV. "You have a little bit of your color back. I'm glad to see it."

"Thanks." Carefully, Akira sat up in bed, feeling a little embarrassed when Dr. Nakajima walked over to prop another pillow behind his back, but grateful for the assistance. "So, what brings you here, Nakajima-sensei?" he asked as he glanced over at the alarm clock. It was just around two. "Don't you have a class right about now?"

"No, I cancelled my afternoon lectures today."

"For me? Oh, you shouldn't have," Akira said, playfully batting his eyelashes.

Dr. Nakajima chuckled, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Looks like your sense of humor came through intact, at least. But really, how have you been doing, Akira-kun? Mizuno-san says you're healing nicely, but I'd like to hear it from the patient himself."

"Still a little sore, but I'll live. I should be able to have the stitches removed fairly soon, probably by the end of the month."

"That's good to hear."

Akira grinned. "Yeah. Ami's really been taking good care of me. First-rate. One of these days, she's going to make one helluva doctor."

"She's staying with you now, isn't she?" Dr. Nakajima asked, picking up a discarded bra from off the floor and dangling it from his pointer finger. It must have fallen out of the basket when Ami went downstairs to do a load of laundry before heading to class. "Unless there's something you would like to tell me…"

With a roll of his eyes, Akira snatched the bra away and hid it underneath his blanket. "Ami insisted on staying with me through my recovery, although if I have it my way, it'll be a permanent situation."

"You're moving in together? Congratulations."

"Actually…I asked her to marry me."

"Marriage?!" The older professor's eyes significantly widened at the revelation. "Don't you think you might be moving a little too fast, Akira-kun? How long have you two been dating? About six months?"

"We've been through a lot these last few months," Akira reminded him. "Besides, I dated Maeko for, what, like two years before I popped the question, and that didn't work out."

"Yes, but Mizuno-san is still so young…"

"I know," Akira frowned, thinking back to that morning and the impromptu proposal. "Ami does have some concerns about the fact that she's still in school."

"She's a smart girl, that one. Marriage is hard enough without one of the partners going through the rigors of med school and the subsequent internships and residencies," Dr. Nakajima lectured.

"Are you talking about Mizuno-sensei?"

"Mizuno-sensei?"

His mentor coughed a little at the mention of his former student, causing Akira's lips to curl up in a knowing smile. He never did get the chance to question Dr. Nakajima about the suspicions that had arisen at the hearing, but now seemed the perfect time to get some answers.

"You two were close, weren't you? I'm sure she must have confided in you the strain her schooling and career put on her marriage."

"We were friends, yes, if that's what you mean," the professor said somewhat defensively, all but confirming Akira's suspicions in his own mind. "I was aware of the marital problems between Saeko-chan and her husband, but they are hardly the only couple in the history of the world to have broken up due to the stress of pursuing a career in medicine."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean that if Ami and I were to marry, our marriage would be doomed to fail."

"No, of course not." Dr. Nakajima's face softened slightly, and he sighed. "I just don't want to see you two rush into something you might not be ready for, that's all. I know your mother's been on your case lately about finding a wife and starting a family, but that's no reason to jump into marriage."

"Nakajima-sensei, this is what I want, not my mother," Akira assured him. "Besides, Ami hasn't even said yes yet. She wanted some time to think it over before making her final decision."

"I think that's a wise move on her part, but I suppose as long as this is something you both want, and you are aware of the possible difficulties, then I'll be happy for you."

"Thank you."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arriving back at Akira's apartment after her classes for the day were over, Ami set the bag of Chinese take-out she had gotten for dinner on the kitchen counter and started unpacking the cartons. The smell of hot food filled the air, but instead of her mouth watering in anticipation, Ami felt sick to her stomach.

Ever since her talk with Makoto at the coffeehouse over her lunch break, Ami had been debating whether or not she should do what her roommate suggested and tell Akira about Crystal Tokyo. Even after she called Setsuna and got the go-ahead (apparently, it wasn't any worse than a legitimate psychic revealing the future), she still wasn't sure if she wanted to go through with it.

Akira just barely accepted the fact that she was Sailor Mercury and possessed magical powers, which he was still positive must have some logical scientific explanation. How would he react when she told him that she traveled to the 30th century and discovered not only was she still alive, but she worked as one of Neo-Queen Serenity's guardians?

Still, if their theoretical marriage had any hope of surviving, Ami knew she couldn't keep her destiny a secret from Akira. It wouldn't be fair to him to just pretend Crystal Tokyo was some unexpected surprise when she knew for a fact it was coming beforehand. Wasn't it better that he found out the truth now, when he still had a chance to leave before things got complicated? Didn't he deserve that choice, even if it meant she might lose him forever?

"Oh, what am I supposed to do?" she moaned, plopping down in a chair and burying her face in her arms on the kitchen table.

"Ami, is that you?"

Hearing her lover's voice, Ami slowly raised her head and looked over at the door leading to the bedroom, where Akira, dressed in pajamas, was leaning against the frame and holding his side.

"What are you doing out of bed?" she asked, immediately jumping up from her seat. "You know my mother told you to take it easy."

"I'm fine," he assured her as he slowly made his way to the couch and sat down. "You don't want me developing bed sores, do you? Now, what smells so delicious? Chinese?"

Ami nodded, bringing a couple of the cartons and some chopsticks into the living room. She would have preferred it if he had went back to his room, but since he was already out of bed, there was little point in fussing about it. "I went to that little place near the school you like so much."

"Chang's Golden Dragon? Man, it's been forever since I've been there! Did you remember to get the moo goo gai pan?"

"Of course I did," she said, handing him the carton. "How could I forget your favorite?"

Akira expertly snapped apart the chopsticks provided and dug right in, barely managing to get out a "Itadakimasu" before stuffing his face with the stir-fried chicken and mushrooms. Ami giggled, sitting down beside him on the couch with a carton of chow mein, but her laughter was short-lived as she remembered the decision she had to make.

Maybe he would understand. After all, Akira told her that night at the hospital that he would love her no matter what. That had to include finding out that she had traveled to the future and discovered she was destined to become Sailor Mercury once again, right?

"Ami, you're not eating," Akira said a couple of minutes later, interrupting her thoughts. "Is something wrong with the food?"

"Huh?" She had been so distracted, Ami hadn't even realized she stopped eating, only moving the noodles around in the carton with her chopsticks. "Oh, no, it's delicious," she said, setting the carton of half-eaten chow mein aside. "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like us," she admitted, taking a deep breath to build up her courage. Since she had brought up the subject, it was now or never. "Akira, I think we need to talk."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" he sighed. "Nothing good ever comes out of a conversation that starts out with 'We need to talk.'"

"It's about something important, about what we were talking about this morning."

"Marriage?"

Ami nodded as Akira carefully placed his carton on the coffee table, grimacing a little at the pain, then situated himself so that he was giving her his undivided attention. Green eyes stared at her expectantly, a strange mixture of hope and fear.

"I-I've been thinking -- a lot -- about what we discussed," she began when Akira didn't say anything else. "I've come to a decision, but first, there's something I need to tell you. If you decide you'd rather not marry me after I tell you, that's fine. Just hear me out."

Somewhat relaxing when she said that, Akira laughed. "Ami, come on. You know nothing you tell me could possibly make me change my mind about marrying you."

"Please, Akira. This is important."

"Okay, fine, I'll play along," he agreed, not taking the discussion seriously at all. "What's the other big, bad secret Mizuno Ami has been keeping from me? I already know about you being Sailor Mercury --"

"Actually, it's about that."

"It's about you being Sailor Mercury?" Akira frowned, losing a bit of his playfulness from before. "But you told me that part of your life was over, that other than the day Yokoyama-san tried to kill us, you hadn't used your powers since your first year of high school."

"I haven't, but I never meant that I stopped being Sailor Mercury."

"I don't understand."

Sighing, Ami rose from her seat on the couch and started walking around the room. Her hands shook in nervousness, but Ami clenched them into fists at her sides, determined to go through with the discussion no matter what the outcome might be. Akira had a right to know what kind of life they would share if they decided to get married.

"Ami, you're starting to scare me a little," Akira said. "Look, I know it took me a while to get used to this whole Sailor Senshi thing, but I'm fine with it now. Well, at least I'm trying to be. It's still a bit hard to believe, but I'm coming around, so if you're afraid I'm going to make you stop being friends with the other sens--"

"No, it's not that," she interrupted, stopping and pivoting on her heel so she was facing her lover. "It's…well…I've been to the future."

"What?" As she suspected would happen, Akira didn't believe her at all, laughing in the same incredulous way he did when she first told him about Sailor Mercury. "Ami, don't be ridiculous! I know there have been plenty of scientific theories concerning time travel, but none of them have been proven. As far as we know, it's impossible to travel to the future."

"I'm not lying. Did I lie when I told you that I was Sailor Mercury and had magical powers?"

"No, but --"

Not giving him the chance to finish, Ami continued with her story. "It happened my second year of middle school. There were these enemies from the future who were attempting to rewrite history by going back to the past, which was then the present."

"What?"

"Akira, please let me finish," Ami said. "Anyway, one of the enemies managed to kidnap me and held me prisoner on the tenth planet of our solar system, Nemesis."

"Tenth planet? You know of the existence of a tenth planet?"

Ami sighed. As much as she loved Akira's natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge, qualities she also shared, his constant interruptions were not helping. "I know you have a lot of questions, but you're not making this any easier."

"Okay, fine. Go on."

"Mars and Jupiter were also kidnapped and taken to the future. I don't know how long we were there, but eventually we were rescued by Sailor Moon. She managed to travel to the future to rescue us with the help of her future daughter by way of the Gates of Time, guarded by Sailor Pluto. The rest of the story isn't really important, but you have to believe me. It is taboo, but it is possible to travel to the future."

For a long moment after Ami finally finished with her story, Akira didn't say a word. He simply stared at her, none of the expected questions coming out of his mouth. Ami feared that meant he didn't believe her, but just when she was about to tell him to forget she even said anything, Akira spoke, his voice surprisingly awestruck.

"You really went to the future?" he asked. "Ami, do you realize what you're saying? That is amazing! It boggles the mind! Do you know how long scientists have been trying to determine if time travel was possible? To think that not only is it possible, that you've actually experienced it, first hand? It's incredible!"

"That's not what I wanted to tell you, though," Ami said, forcing herself not to smile at the excited look on Akira's face. It was the same look he always wore whenever he discovered something unexpected in the lab during one of his experiments. In hindsight, Ami realized she probably shouldn't have told him about the Gates of Time and Sailor Pluto, since she had a feeling Akira would no doubt want to visit and conduct research, but she would deal with that later.

"It's not?"

Ami shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you about what I saw in the future -- Crystal Tokyo, and the role I'll play in it."

"Crystal Tokyo?"

"Crystal Tokyo is what this city will become in a few short years, when Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san take the throne as Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion," she explained.

"You mean that blonde with the strange hairstyle and her boyfriend? Tsukino-san and Chiba-san? They're going to become king and queen?"

"Yes. Usagi-chan is the reincarnated princess of a long forgotten kingdom called Silver Millennium, and Mamoru-san was her lover, prince of Earth's Golden Kingdom."

"Wow…" Akira rubbed his forehead, letting the information sink in. "That certainly is a lot to digest, but what does that have to do with us, Ami? You're not going to become Queen of Mercury or something like that, are you? There might have been life forms on Mercury back when that kingdom you were talking about was in power, but as far as we know, the planet's barren of living organisms."

Shaking her head, Ami sat back down on the couch and looked down at her hands, which were clutching at the plaid fabric of her skirt. This was the moment she had dreaded.

"Akira, it is my destiny to become the queen's guardian once again, as it was during the time of Silver Millennium. I saw it in the future."

"I see."

"We actually don't much about what will entail," Ami continued, still looking down so she couldn't see the look on Akira's face. "I don't know if it will be a full-time job or if I will even get the chance to practice medicine. Mako-chan thinks Usagi-chan would want us to still pursue our dreams, even if we are her guardians, but I don't know… I just don't know."

Before Ami even realized it, tears were streaming down her face. She had no idea where they were coming from, but they wouldn't stop, the rivers flowing down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry," Akira said, pulling Ami close despite the pain it must have caused. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I might not be able to be the kind of wife you want. Don't you see, Akira? We won't be able to have a normal life together."

"I don't care." Akira kissed the top of her head, tightening his embrace. "We haven't had a conventional relationship so far, so why should the future be any different?"

"B-But--"

"I love you, Ami."

"I love you, too, but--"

"Then do me the honor of becoming my wife."

Ami pulled away, wiping her tears away with her hands. Akira was smiling expectantly at her, and at that moment, she knew what answer to give, the only answer she could give.

"Yes. Yes, Akira, I'll be your wife."


End file.
